Chlonnor Series 3: Connor
by shadowglove
Summary: 3rd in the chlonnor series. CHLONNOR. When Connor returns, now grown up, things become even more chaotic in Chloe's life. As if Wolfram and Hart weren't bad enough. NOW she has to deal with an attraction for her sire's son?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Smallville or Angel.**

_Here you go! FINALLY THE FIRST CHAPTER! This is set after the short stories __**Night Blossom**__ and__** The Miracle Child.**_

_All I have to saw now is…let the CHLONNOR BEGIN!_

_This story begins in episode __**THE PRICE**__ during Angel Season 3._

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It'd begun like any ordinary Sunday.

A couple of days had passed since Connor's kidnapping and everyone was trying to get Angel out of his depressive rut. Everyone but Chloe, who realized that when Angel was in his moods it was best to let him realize he needed to stop, otherwise he'd just sink deeper and deeper into his self-pity if people tried to yank him out of it.

Everyone had thought that redoing Connor's room might help. Chloe didn't, and for some reason she felt completely _uneasy_ at the Hyperion so she'd left the others at the hotel and ventured off to see how Wesley was doing. No one but Angel knew that she was still going to see Wes, and Angel only knew because he could smell him on her.

That was a point of sourness between sire and childe, and yet neither acknowledged it or the situation. How Chloe saw it, she guessed Angel realized she was the only family he had left and he wasn't going to isolate her or push her away and thus make himself completely alone.

That was why he didn't mention that he could smell Wesley on her.

"What do you _mean_ not to come back to the Hyperion?" Chloe asked as she stepped off onto the street from having visited with Wesley for the last couple of hours.

She ran fingers through her hair as she heard Fred telling her through the cell phone that the consequences of Angel's dark spell in the Hyperion (the consequences Chloe had just _known_ would come back to bite them in the asses) had finally appeared and they'd locked themselves in the Hyperion to be able to catch the slug-like creature and kill it before it could get out.

"But maybe I should go—I could."

"No." Fred sounded like she was shaking her head. "Angel said to tell you that if he saw you in here and this thing wasn't dead---that he'd make Angelus look like a boy scout."

Chloe winced. "Bastard."

"Just—just stay put and we'll call you when we have this figured out, 'kay?" Fred whispered.

"How are you holding up?" The blonde asked, looking around the busy street. "I bet Angel has you looking up all this stuff and expecting you to come up with the answer immediately as if you were Wesley."

Fred paused for a moment, since Wesley's name had been banned from use in the Hyperion. "Yeah."

"I'm—" right outside Wes' apartment. "Close to Wesley's neighborhood. I can go to him, ask him to help."

"Don't---thanks anyway." Fred sighed. "I'll—I'll call you."

"Be careful you guys."

"Sure." And then Fred hung up.

Chloe looked around her, then back at Wesley's apartment. "Oh _screw_ it." With that the blonde turned and hurried back the way she she'd just come from. She was going back to Wesley's and he was going to help her.

The blonde hurried up to Wesley's apartment and knocked rapidly on his door, not even bothering to look at him when he opened the door, surprised to see her again.

"_Chloe_?" He asked in a voice raspy from not having used it for so long. "What's wrong?"

She told him everything, pacing up and down frantically. "What if it's infected them all? They'll die dried up and just turn to _dust!" _She threw her hands in the air before sinking into his couch in tears. "Wes. What if something happens to them?"

The ex-Watcher was silent for a moment before going to sit next to her. "I'm going to help you, Chloe, because you're my only true friend. Not because of _them_."

She looked up at Wes through teary eyes. "_Thank you_."

With the information Wes gave her Chloe hurriedly phoned Fred again, and when she didn't pick up her cellular Chloe called Angel. She found out in horror that the Hyperion was _crawling_ with millions of those things, that Fred had been infected, and that the slug thingies were all running from some horrible thing called The Destroyer---which was heading there to kill Angel.

Chloe was frozen stiff as she remembered the name in her dream so many weeks ago, and suddenly wondered if she was having visions like Cordelia. She didn't mention that though, and told Angel to force Fred to drink liquor, that it would dehydrate her body and force the thing out.

That was lucky considering that they were all stuck in the kitchen.

"Don't come here, Chloe." Angel didn't thank her. "I'll call you when we manage to kill these things. Just _don't come_."

And then he hung up.

Chloe turned to Wesley and leaned against his shoulder. "God. I _hate_ waiting."

Wesley just sighed and pulled his arm around her. "Everything will be alright. You know Angel will find a way to kill everything eventually."

"I hope so." Chloe whispered.

About an hour later she got a quick phone call from Gunn saying that everything was alright, not only had they managed to get the thing out of Fred, but some of Cordelia's mysterious demon powers had manifested themselves (namely a bright, purifying light) that'd killed all the creatures in the Hyperion.

Everyone was fine and waiting for her at the hotel. There was a little commotion right before Gunn suddenly hung up on her, but Chloe didn't pay it much mind as she threw herself at Wesley and hugged him tightly, kissing his cheek. "They're fine! Oh Wesley! _Thank you_!"

He hugged her back, smiling softly. "You're welcome, Chlo."

Pulling back and grinning in his face, Chloe shot up. "I've got to get back. They're all expecting me there to go over what this _Destroyer_ is, where it's coming from, _when _it's coming, and why it wants to kill Angel." She paused as she hurried to the door. "Why does everything always want to kill Angel _anyway_?"

Wesley chuckled hoarsely from where he stood next to the sofa, hands in pockets, ducking his gaze.

"Thank you again, Wes." Blowing him a kiss, Chloe was quickly out the door and hurrying towards the apartment's stairs.

She was outside out of the apartment building in what seemed like seconds, looking for a bus or a taxi, but nothing appeared. The blonde hopped a little nervously, not understanding why she felt so giddy, as if something _right_ had finally happened.

"_Come on, come on_…" When nothing seemed to be appearing she growled and decided to walk. She could head downtown, find a taxi or bus there. Plus, everyone was probably tired from the whole fighting thing so it wasn't like they would complain about having to wait a bit.

Nah. They'd probably be happy for the time to relax.

With that in mind, Chloe headed off in a brisk walk, realizing in surprise that more than half of the day had already passed.

_Time really does fly_.

Chloe continued walking, ignoring the busy life all around her, the people milling around, the horns honking, the ambulance crossing at dangerous speeds.

She was used to the noise. She _lived_ off of it.

Grinning and shaking her head, Chloe suddenly paused as she felt something, something she'd never felt before.

Pausing, she looked around her at the people on the streets. No one was paying her any attention, no one was even really looking up from where they were going or the conversations they were having with friends. For all accounts she could be _invisible_---and yet there was something there.

Narrowing her eyes, Chloe tried to figure out what this feeling was. It wasn't exactly the feeling of being watched. No. It was something else. Something different.

It was a little like the link she had with Angelus, but it wasn't the same. Angelus wasn't out there—thank _god_—but something else _was_, and somehow it was connected to her.

_What IS it_?

Looking around her once more, Chloe veered off to the side and headed away from the busy crowd. If there was something after her she didn't want it to attack her while she was around so many innocent people.

She headed down towards the old train tracks down the less _safe_ part of town, looking over her shoulder and yet not seeing anything. The blonde was _so_ intent on looking _behind_ her that she didn't notice what was in front of her until she ran into something that felt like _steel_.

The blonde turned and gasped when she saw the large blue humanoid demon glaring at her in the darkness of the abandoned alley, a couple of smaller, yet just as vicious looking creatures behind him.

"You." He pointed a curled finger at her. "_You_ are the one we've been looking for."

"_Me_?" Chloe asked, blinking as she looked at the leader and then at his goons. "Are you sure about that?"

The leader raised an eyebrow. "Yes, I am 'sure'."

"What for?" The blonde wanted to know, folding her arms over her chest. "I don't know you dudes, and you know what? I don't like being stalked either. So why don't you just say who you are, what you want, and then we'll go from there—how's that?"

The creatures looked _confused_.

"Why isn't she screaming and running, or at least pleading for her life?" One of the goonies in the back whispered to the blue guy next to him.

The leader shook his head slightly, red eyes narrowing menacingly. "Listen _lower life_. You will shut up and come with us."

Chloe snorted. "Excuse me? Did you just call me a _lower life_?"

And another pair of goonies exchanged confused looks.

"Do you _know_ who I am?" Chloe asked, channeling highschool!bitch!Cordelia as best as she could to try and pull this off. "I am _Angelus'_ Favored childe. You do _not_ want to piss off _my sire_ by touching me or calling me a lower life." She conjured the most _snobbish_ look she could muster. "He will pull your guts out of your body and _choke_ you with them _just_ for _thinking_ you could touch me."

A couple of the goonies took a step backwards and gulped.

"Yes, well, while _Angelus'_ tales are told to naughty demon children as warnings," the leader reached out and grabbed her arm lightning fast, pulling her to him violently, his fish breath on her face as he glared down at her. "You're sire is now _Angel_, and it's _day_. He won't be coming to save you."

"Who said that I _needed_ him to save me?" She wouldn't let him see how much his grip was hurting her. "I just told you gentlemen what he'd do to you for touching me. _Not_ what _I_ will do to you."

The creature looked at her eyes and laughed. "And what is a delicate little human like you going to do to me?"

Chloe gave him a small smile before clenching her free hand and bringing it down as hard as she could against the arm that held hers. The sound of a bone cracking and the boss' screams filled the alley as Chloe was freed, only to be surrounded by the goonies and an _infuriated_ boss.

"I will _kill_ you for that!" He hissed as two of the creatures grabbed her arms, keeping her immobile. The boss rounded on her yet stopped and looked behind her, eyes narrowing further into tiny slits. "Walk away, human."

Chloe stopped struggling against those who had her and turned her head, eyes widening as they fell upon a young man around her age walking towards them. He was tall, with straight brown hair and blue eyes that seemed to stand out more thanks to the dirt on his face and body. He was dressed in animal's skins and had a necklace of assorted teeth around his neck.

He was _breath-taking_, with an air of menace that intrigued and drew Chloe towards him.

The leader pulled away from her and sneered at the newcomer. "An entire suit made of chamois." His sneer grew. "That's different." Shaking his head he motioned to the belt hanging from narrow hips that held odd bones and other assorted things on it. "What's all that?"

"Things I killed." The newcomer announced, raising an eyebrow, looking confused that he'd had to be asked.

"Very funny, pretty boy." The demon shook his head. "But as entertaining as this has been, I'm going to have to get my boys to eat you."

"_No_!" Chloe struggled again against the creatures that had her. "You leave him alone! You want me! Remember that? Me! He's an innocent!"

Then again, with the way he was dressed he was probably _insane_, but that really didn't matter at the moment.

"Awww, how _sweet_." The boss smirked before turning to the others. "Kill him."

Chloe struggled as the creatures that weren't holding her rushed to kill the poor, most probably _delusional_ kid, but instead of screams from _him_ she could hear the sounds of fighting and screams from _them_.

The blonde turned her head and watched in shock as the young man fought off the creatures that attacked him. His movements were those of a trained warrior, his actions fluid, and his accuracy and viciousness in battle _fascinating_.

The creature that'd been holding her right arm left to go help the others when the last that'd attacked the young man fell dead at his feet.

Quickly looking to make sure that the boss was watching the fight, Chloe twirled and elbowed the creature holding her in the back of its head. The blue creature shrieked and let go of her other hand, enabling her to finish twirling around and grab his arm, pulling it at an odd angle and breaking the shoulder bone as Angel had once taught her.

It screamed and fell to the ground, cradling its broken appendix.

Sirens screamed in the air, obviously heading towards them.

Chloe froze in fear. The _cops. _They could _not_ get caught in this freaky situation by the _cops_! Angel was in enough hot water as it was!

She turned around in time to see the stranger, her rescuer, standing over the body of the boss, bloody knife in hand. The blonde froze, watching him in awe. Any other girl would have run screaming had she seen this, but _no_, Chloe wasn't any other girl.

She'd been _Angelus'_ Favored for crying out loud---she'd seen much worse.

And part of her, maybe it was the demon part of her, couldn't keep her heart from beating a little bit faster as she saw him turn to her, covered in blood, weapon still in hand, eyes and aura dark from combat.

He was like a frickin' angel of _death_…and she was getting _hot_ over it.

Clearing her throat and calling herself many unpleasant names, Chloe winced when she heard the sirens closer. "We have to get out of here. The cops are coming and we'll be in a lot of trouble if they find us."

The stranger tilted his head slightly and looked at her oddly, curiously, as he walked towards her, knife still in hand.

Chloe didn't back down, although she _did_ gulp, waiting until he was right in front of her, watching her oddly again. "We have to go." She whispered, not getting why her heart was thumping so _crazily_ in her chest or why her breathing was accelerating. Or why she was suddenly feeling so _hot_.

Yeah, this _was_ California and all, but _damn_, it was like she was in a _furnace_ or something!

He didn't say anything, only stepped closer, eyes never leaving her face. Those blue eyes looked confused as he scanned every feature of her face before he finally put the blade away. "Lead me."

_Oh GOD I love that voice_.

Calling herself a hussy, Chloe shivered slightly and nodded. "Keep up."

He smiled then. It wasn't a happy smile, but an amused half smile. "I will manage."

Ducking her gaze, Chloe nodded and turned, leading the way quickly out of there. They hurried out into the main street and tried to remain inconspicuous---which was hard considering his getup. "First of all, we're getting you a new wardrobe."

He raised an eyebrow at her in silence.

Rolling her eyes at him, Chloe grabbed his hand to make sure that they weren't separated in the large crowd and hurried him to where she knew there was a small second-hand clothes store. A quick venture inside, and after guessing his size after years of doing so for Angel, Chloe took the purchases and headed with her still nameless rescuer to a hotel.

It wasn't the best place she could think of, but those demons weren't really after her. None of the things that ever came after her really were. No, they were looking for a way to get to _Angel_, and until she was sure that they had _nothing_ to do with this _DESTROYER_ creature that was out to kill her sire, she wasn't going to lead them back to the Hyperion.

Paying for a room and ignoring the look the receptionist gave her when she asked for two beds, Chloe grabbed the key and hauled her rescuer up to their room. Only when they were inside and she knew they were safe did she let her guard down and sighed in relief.

"Look, about what happened---," Chloe turned around and paused when she noticed him looking around the hotel room with childlike eyes, as if he'd never seen anything like it before. His interest was amazing as he touched everything, picking things up and inspecting them. "You---you're definitely not from California, huh?"

He looked up from where he was examining a clock before shaking his head.

"Either you'll think I'm crazy or I'm right---I'm going to guess you're from a different dimension."

He blinked and nodded in surprise.

"Okay." She took off her shoes. Crazies she couldn't handle, but hunks from another dimension? This was a piece of cake. "First day here in our dimension?"

"Yes." He replied cautiously, looking around. "My father told me stories of this place, and yet nothing is as I had imagined it."

"So your father came here before?" Chloe asked, throwing herself down on what she was now proclaiming _her_ bed.

"He is from this dimension. As am I." Her rescuer sat down slowly and experimentally on _his_ bed. "We left for our own safety."

"Oh." That was an obviously sore topic, so Chloe respected it and left it alone. "Is that where you learnt to fight?"

He nodded. "My father trained me to be a warrior."

"And train you good he did." She complimented, feeling a little silly. "Look, I didn't even know if you have somewhere to go or someone waiting for you and I went and got this room---."

"I have no one." He replied shortly, looking at his feet. "I came here alone."

"Oh." She sat up, feeling awkward now. "Well, you saved the right girl." She smiled softly at him as he looked at her in curiosity. "I understand being thrust into a new and weird world, and you helped me. So I'm going to help _you_ now. It's the least I can do to thank you for saving my life."

He didn't say anything, just looked at her, that slightly confused yet utterly intrigued look back in his blue eyes. "Who _are_ you?"

She blinked. "I haven't introduced myself, have I? What an idiot!" The blonde pulled a strand of hair out of her face and behind her ear. "My name is Chloe. What's _your_ name?"

"Steven."

"_Steven_." Somehow the named seemed a little off, but she shrugged that off. "_Well_ Steven, I have to call my family and let them know that I'm okay and won't be coming home tonight. Why don't you go and bathe in the meanwhile? You can change into the clothes I got you."

Steven picked up the bag with the clothes in mentioned and after a second's hesitation headed towards the bathroom.

Chloe admired him shamelessly back-too until he closed the door behind him. "_Me—ow_." Chiding herself _once again_ for acting so _shamelessly_, Chloe reached for the phone by the side table and called the Hyperion. When no one answered she left a voice message and hung up, giving them the reader's digest version and telling them she'd get into contact.

With that over she decided to order in some room service. After the fight and adrenaline rush she was _always_ hungry, and she bet Steven was as well.

"I do not understand this room."

Looking up when she heard that from the bathroom, Chloe scolded herself for being stupid and not realizing that this guy was from a different dimension and they probably didn't have indoor plumbing—_Pylea_ sure hadn't.

"Don't worry I'll show---." Chloe's words stuck in her throat as she entered the bathroom and froze, forgetting to breathe for a second or two as her gaze fell upon his naked body.

There her heart went beating rapidly once more and her breathing accelerated.

And _yep_, there was the heat again.

_Dammit Chloe! Control yourself!_

She lowered her gaze for a split second towards forbidden territory, mouth parting in amazement, before she forced her gaze to turn to the toilet. "Uh, uhm." She cleared her throat nervously. "Sorry, I should have explained how bathrooms work."

Walking towards him, she gulped as she reached around him and slid open the shower's see-through door, turning on the shower and concentrating on getting the water nice and warm. "It's like a waterfall, see?" She kept her back to him and nervously kept all of her attention on the falling water. "You stand under it, and use this thing called a bar of _soap_ to get all the dirt and green blood off of you. When you're finished just---," Chloe forgot what to say when he was suddenly standing behind her, looking over her shoulder at what she was doing, the heat of his body warming hers.

And then he was _sniffing_ her. It was discreet, and any normal woman wouldn't have noticed it, but Chloe did. And something within her reacted to it…something inside of her _liked_ it.

Gulping when she felt heat warming in her hips, as if he was going to place his hands there, Chloe gasped and turned, finding him so much closer than she'd expected. "Ummm, uh," Chloe was breathing erratically, her body reacting to him in ways she didn't understand. She'd never felt like this around _anyone_! Not even _Angelus_! "You should bathe."

And with that she hurried passed him and into the bedroom, collapsing on her bed with a groan.

When Steven emerged from the bathroom later, completely clean and dressed in the slacks and shirt she'd gotten for him, not only had the food she'd ordered arrived, but Chloe had managed to get her hormones under control as well.

"You look nice." She smiled, motioning for him to join her on the floor, where she'd placed the plates of food. "I don't know about you or the customs where you come from. But I usually like to sit down on the floor when I eat. It's not a custom from around here, I'm just weird like that."

He tilted his head again, watching her, before going to sit next to her on the ground and looking at his plate. "What---what _is_ it?"

"Chicken." When the name seemed foreign to him she tried to explain it. "Chicken is a small creature with two legs, feathers, a peak and wings. We eat them here."

He looked a little less confused and then noticed the fork and knife. "I know of these. They are tools for eating."

"Bob, we have a winner." Chloe joked, smiling at Steven as he picked up the utensils and used them awkwardly but successfully, cutting the chicken and placing it into his mouth.

"This, this tastes _good_." He blinked, mouth still full.

Chloe giggled as he finally swallowed. "Wanna try some of mine?"

"What is it?" He was so enthusiastic, like a child.

"Beef." She offered a bite to Steven, smiling as he experimentally stole it from her offered fork and chewed. "Do you like?"

He turned and looked at her, swallowed, and then smiled. "Yes."

Blushing and not knowing why, Chloe returned her attention to her food. "Well, if you like this you better eat up 'cause when you're finished we have dessert! Chocolate cake and ice cream!"

They ate mostly in silence and yet it wasn't uncomfortable as Chloe would have thought it would be. Honestly, she was in a hotel room with a stranger who could easily kick her ass, and yet she wasn't afraid. She felt as if she'd known Steven forever, which was odd in itself.

The desert was fun, because Steven hadn't ever had anything like it, and Chloe hadn't laughed or enjoyed herself more than she did watching his eyes widen—or the fact that he got brain freeze when he ate the ice cream a little too fast.

"You shouldn't have eaten it too fast!" She laughed as she knelt in front of him as he pressed his hands tightly to his temples, closing his eyes tightly against the pain. "It hurts when you do. But it'll go away just as soon, I promise."

They stayed like that until Steven's body relaxed and he opened his eyes---eyes that stared right into her own.

And suddenly Chloe realized how close they were. She froze, eyes scanning his face, trying to understand _why_ he affected her this way, _why_ she found his eyes so _familiar_.

"I---." She didn't know what to say as he lowered his hands from his face and continued to look at her.

Steven seemed so confused as he looked at her before leaning closer and sniffing her once again, trailing his face down the curve of her neck, his nose brushing against the exposed skin as he did so. "Who _are_ you?" He whispered again against her skin.

Chloe's eyes slid closed and she realized she was trembling. "I'm---_Chloe_." When she felt him pull away her eyes opened slowly and she noticed he was once again looking at her in confusion and what seemed like slight fear, and she didn't know why she did it, but she reached forwards and pressed her lips to his.

When she realized he wasn't kissing her back, Chloe pulled away, seeing his eyes wide in surprise as he brought his fingers to his lips. It was as if he'd never been kissed before---but that couldn't have been possible. He was—he was---_grrrr_---and there was _no way_ that _not one_ female in this dimension of his had ever kissed him.

So, he obviously didn't think of _her_ in that way.

_Oh earth, swallow me now and save me from this embarrassment_.

Chloe opened her mouth to apologize when suddenly _he_ was leaning forwards and _his_ lips were on _hers_. The blonde whimpered, eyes closing shut once more as Steven's arms went around her and pulled her closer to him, and her hands went to his messy hair as she opened the kiss and took it further.

One touch of her tongue had him moaning in surprise and something else, and Chloe's body sang happily because of his touch. She didn't understand why she reacted like this with him. Chloe wasn't easy, in fact, most the few dates she _had_ gone out over the past years had ended up badly because she wasn't much into touching…but with Steven it felt different.

It felt _right_.

Suddenly there was knocking on the door and Chloe pulled away from him, suddenly feeling the sire link she normally would have sensed a long time ago.

Steven looked at her hungrily—a look so different from his nearly _childish_ one moments ago.

And she was getting _hotter_.

Suddenly the door was kicked in and both of them turned to see the vampire standing in the doorway, looking at them in surprise.

"_Angel_."

Chloe turned to Steven when she heard him say the name as well, yet unlike her surprised way of saying it, Steven had spat the name out and reached for his blade in the blink of an eye, standing.

"You know him?" Steven asked Chloe, although his eyes were on Angel.

"Of course I know Angel!" She exclaimed, getting to her feet, confused. "How do _you_ know of him if you're from another dimension?"

"Were you running away from him? Was he keeping you as a slave?" Steven's voice was dangerous, his blue eyes dark with menace as he glared at Angel, who winced and looked hurt at the accusation.

"_What_?" Chloe asked, running fingers through her hair in confusion. "Why would you--? Steven, what are you _talking_ about? Angel's my _sire_!"

His eyes widened as he turned to look at her. "You're not a vampire." He wasn't asking he was stating a fact. "I hear your heart. I _know_ you live."

"I do—I _am_ alive." Chloe agreed. "And I have my soul as well, I never lost it."

"_Chloe_." Angel was trying to say something to her, but she couldn't get _what._

So she continued to talk, just so that Steven's attention was on her and not on her sire. "Angel---_Angelus_---saw me one night and he sired me. Or, he _tried_ to. He killed me, but he couldn't force the demon in me and the soul out. My soul won the battle and while I have some demon in me it isn't in control at all. I woke up _alive_ as well, not undead."

"_Chloe_!" Angel snapped.

"What?" She felt hurt. She was only trying to help him!

"Don't _talk_ to her like that." Steven growled at Angel before talking to Chloe once more, although his blue eyes were _still_ on Angel. "Do you drink blood?"

"His." She pointed to Angel, ignoring the look her sire was giving her. "I can't drink the blood of humans or other demons because I'll die. But like a vampire I need blood to survive, but only a little bit, and only Angel's."

Steven froze. "You'll die without this creature's blood."

And Angel winced again, once more looking hurt.

"Yes." Chloe nodded, divulging the secret she knew Angel had always tried to keep just that,_ a secret_, for her own protection. And yet she felt as if she could trust Steven. "I don't know what you've heard about Angel in this dimension you came from, Steven, but he's a good person. He has his soul and--."

"Did you ask for him to sire you?"

She blinked at the angry question. "No. I fought him every step of the way."

"Were you scared when he was draining your life?"

"_Terrified_." Chloe whispered, momentarily remembering the night in the alley with Angelus, Dru and Spike.

"Connor that's _enough_!" Angel snapped, walking into the room, causing Steven to stiffen, ready to fight.

"Connor?" Chloe made a face as she shook her head. "Angel, his name isn't Connor, it's _Steven._ He and his father were from this dimension but escaped---." And suddenly her eyes widened in horror and she gasped, taking a step back. "Oh my God. _Connor_?"

Angel shook his head, looking sad and yet hopeful. "Yes, Chloe. He's Connor."

"Stop _calling_ me that!" Steven growled. "My name is _Steven_."

"_Oh my God_." Chloe whispered, sitting down on the bed. She'd just made a move on _Angel's son!_ She'd seen him naked and she'd _lusted_ after him! _I'm going to HELL!_

"Okay then, Steven." Angel sounded desperate to get his son to put down the weapon and just _talk_. "Steven's a nice name. Not _Irish_ but--look." He sighed. "I know we haven't gotten off to a great start here, especially with us fighting and you trying to kill me the moment you jumped out of the rip in reality in the Hyperion---."

"_What_?" Chloe gasped, eyes wide.

Angel and Connor both ignored her as Angel continued. "But if we can just take a minute, that'd be good. Please, just---don't run away from me, alright?" Angel paused. "I lost you once already. There's just---there's just so much I wanna know. There's so much I _need_ to know." He paused once more, voice hopeful. "Okay?"

Steven---_Connor_---was silent, but he lowered his weapon, eyes still untrusting and on his father.

"You been okay?" Angel asked, trying to get his son to talk. "I mean, what was it like there?" When Connor didn't speak Angel just continued on. "Do you have any friends?" He shook his head. "Okay, I mean, not friends. It's not like you were at summer camp. You were stuck in a…_hell dimension_."

Chloe looked at her sire, heart breaking for him as she watched him trying to get through to a son who only glared at him with anger and distrust.

"_Connor, I'm so sorry_." Angel whispered, voice wavering for a second. "I tried to get you back. I did. I tried to come after you. I would've done anything. I just---I couldn't find a way _in_."

"I found a way _out_." Connor finally spoke, face hard.

"Yeah." Angel smiled slightly, hopeful, believing this as progress. "You did. You sure did." He shook his head in self-disgust. "I should've---I should've tried harder. I shouldn't have quit." He then looked up and took a step towards Connor. "But you're _back_, and---and that's what's important, you know? You came back to me."

Chloe felt like she was intruding on a very personal moment. This should be just Angel and Connor talking with no one listening in.

"I—I wanna know everything, son." Angel took another careful step towards his wary son. "I wanna know everything---everything about you, you know? What your life's been like. You---you must have a million questions."

"No." Connor's eyes were narrowed, as if he expected Angel to suddenly shift to his game face and jump at him.

"_No_?" Angel whispered, hurt, confused.

"My father told me _everything_." Connor sneered at Angel.

"Your---your _father_?" Angel whispered again, hurt marring his features. "Holtz isn't your father. He's--."

Connor reacted by punching Angel in the face. "You don't get to say that name! You don't even get to think it!"

"_Connor_!" Chloe cried out in horror, jumping to her feet and pushing him away, going in between father and son, looking up at Angel, hand going hesitantly to his bruised cheek. "Are you okay, Angel? Did he hurt you?"

"I'm fine." Angel nodded, placing a hand on her shoulder before looking at Connor. "Con--."

"I know _everything_." Connor accused, seeming angrier now for some reason than when he'd hit Angel. "He told me all about you. That you're a…a _thing_ that…_kills_…and drinks _blood_." He sneered in disgust. "You're a vampire."

"What do you know about vampires?" Angel asked, body tensing.

"Decapitation, stake in the heart, daylight, fire." Connor answered, the sneer growing. "I forget anything?" There was silence. "You have a second face. A face for killing. Show it to me."

"_Connor_!" Chloe gasped as she turned to look at him for the first time since rushing to Angel's side. "What's _wrong_ with you?"

"Chloe…" Angel whispered warningly.

She bit the inside of her mouth to keep from snapping something back. Couldn't Connor see that Angel was trying? That he was _really_ trying?

"I wanna see it." Connor ignored Chloe as he stepped closer to them, eyes narrowed. "Come on! Show me!" He snapped, fury in those beautiful blue eyes. "Show me the face you used to kill my father's family! Show me the last thing Chloe saw before you drank the life out of her!"

"_Connor_!" Chloe cried out again in annoyance and something else. "Angel, you don't have to do it."

"He deserves to see this, Chloe." Angel whispered, his face shifting to that of his demon. "It looks like this, son."

"That's what you are." Connor whispered as he took a step back.

"It's a part of what I am." Angel whispered back. "A part I hope you'll be able to accept one day."

Connor shook his head in disgust. "You'd have to kill me first."

And Chloe was caught in the middle, not knowing what to do or say to make this any better for the both of them.

Connor then turned his eyes on her. "Do you do it too? Does _your_ face change when you take his blood?"

She gulped at the intensity of that stare. "No."

"Show me." He ordered.

"This has nothing to do with Chloe, Connor." Angel took a step towards them and placed an arm around her shoulder. "She doesn't have to prove anything to you."

And yet, for some reason, Chloe felt that she _did_ have something to prove. So she shifted and felt the slight tickle in her gums as her canines grew sharper and longer, though not by much. The blonde ran her tongue over her fangs, careful not to cut it.

Connor gasped, eyes slightly wider. And yet he didn't look disgusted at her as he had when he'd seen Angel's true face. His blue eyes seemed to follow the path of her tongue over her teeth, his lips parting slightly, and once again Chloe felt that odd rush of desire hit her like a locomotive at maximum speed.

Clearing her throat, Chloe ducked her gaze and forced her fangs to disappear. "Connor, no matter what Holtz told you, we're not the enemy." She looked up into his eyes, a little relieved that he didn't try to punch her for saying his 'father's' name. "We loved you. We still do." She willed him to believe her. "We love you very much."

Connor didn't say anything, he just looked at her in that same lost way he had before.

"We're going back to the hotel, it isn't safe for Chloe here, not with some unidentified demons after her." Angel finally spoke against, squeezing her slight. "You know, Connor, if you want, you can come back to the hotel. No pressure or anything."

Chloe looked up, hoping he'd say yes.

"No." Connor seemed a little distracted all of a sudden, eyes narrowed in slight confusion.

"But if, you know," Angel hurried on. "You need a place to stay--."

"Angel." Chloe stopped him by turning in his hold and placing a hand on his chest. "Connor has lived all his life in a _Hell Dimension_, I think he'll be able to survive tonight in a decent hotel all by himself. Believe me, I've seen him fight. It's…_impressive_."

The blonde slanted a look at Connor before looking away.

"Chloe---I---." Angel looked desperate at the thought of leaving Connor.

"What happened to _no pressure_?" She hissed at him, giving him a little shove backwards before turning to Connor. "I wish you'd come to the Hyperion with us, but we understand that you need some space."

"We do?" Angel whispered.

She ignored him, concentrating on Connor, whose eyes and attention were fully on her. "We understand that this is difficult for you too. You grew up thinking that Angel was a monster and you're going to need some time to think things over and get used to how things really are."

Chloe didn't know if she was pushing it or not, but she laid her hand on Connor's arm, surprised that he didn't flinch away now that he knew who she was and that she had fangs. "But I want you to know that I'm still grateful for your saving my life. And—and I really meant it when I said I wanted to help you." She smiled slightly, determined not to blush. "When you're ready, or you just want someone to talk with or need someone to help explain something, come find me. You know where the Hyperion is. Okay?"

He looked at her in silence before nodding.

She smiled brighter. "Good." Pulling back her hand, Chloe returned to Angel's side. "Good night, Connor."

He remained silent, just watching her.

Ducking her gaze once more, Chloe dragged Angel out of the room. "Come on big guy. Let's go home."

Back at the Hyperion they filled in everyone about what'd happened, and they found out that something else had managed to punch its way out of _Quor'toth_ before Lorne's dimensional-magic expert managed to close the rip.

The thing was, that Fred and Gunn had been watching over the rip, but had been knocked out and unconscious when it'd escaped. So no one had any idea what it was.

Angel got up immediately, determined to go back to the hotel and either force Connor to come to the Hyperion or to watch over his son.

"He won't come back and he won't like you watching over him." Chloe forced her sire to sit back down. "He's strong, Angel. He can take of himself. If you push too hard, he'll pull away faster."

"She has a point." Cordelia whispered from where she stood between Gunn and Lorne.

"I know." Angel sighed. "I just---he's my _son_."

"And he's _back_." Fred smiled from where she sat next to the vampire. "And he'll come around soon. He'll see that you're a wonderful, marvelous person."

Angel smiled at her. "Thank you Fred."

Fred smiled back at him.

Chloe yawned. "As exciting as this day has been for all of us, I think it's time I hit the sack. Good night you guys." Blowing everyone a kiss, Chloe hurried up the stairs and went to her room, locking the door behind her and resting against it with a long sigh.

Going to the bathroom she looked at herself in the mirror and pressed her fingers to her lips much like Connor had when she'd first kissed him.

_I can still taste him_.

"I am _so_ going to hell!" Closing her eyes and groaning, Chloe shook her head before pulling off her clothes and going to bathe.

When she finished she changed into a large shirt and went to bed, never realizing that in his bed in the hotel, Connor was laying on his back in the dark, looking up at the ceiling with his fingers pressed to his lips.

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**So, that's the first chapter. What do you guys think? REVIEW!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Smallville or Angel.**

_Yay! So far everyone's liking the Chloe/Connor! It was a little more intense then I'd originally planned, but hey, the story tells itself, right? Lol._

_I've never written a guy who's never had any intimate or sexual experience before, so this is a challenge for me. A challenge I am enjoying since it helps my growth as a writer._

_So, yeah, that said----ENJOY!_

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Connor sat on the bed of the motel he'd moved to after Angel and Chloe had left. He'd sensed his father in this dimension and as soon as the vampire and blonde had gone Connor'd hurried out to find Holtz, finally finding him waiting for him in a back alley.

Together they'd gone to a motel and checked into a room with two beds and gone to sleep, Holtz promising that they would talk later in the morning after they'd had a good night's rest.

Well, _Holtz_ might have rested, but Connor had found himself awkwardly unable to slumber despite how tired he was. His body was taunt and wired, ready, expectant, and his mind replaying the face of the gorgeous blonde female he'd met that day.

_Chloe_.

His lips still tingled from her touch, he could still taste her on him, and her smell—the smell that'd drawn him to her in the first place, it invaded his nostrils and left them flaring in excitement. He didn't understand his reactions to her, or to her scent, but he knew that he liked it. He liked everything about this female.

He especially liked the feel of her in his arms.

Clearing his throat in slight embarrassment, the brunette looked down at his feet while his father used the bathroom.

Holtz had taught him to become a warrior—he'd taught him everything he needed to know to survive and be a feared name in _Quor'toth_. He'd never taught him more than the basics about female and male human interaction. So Connor had been _embarrassingly_ unprepared for Chloe's actions the night before.

He remembered confusion and shock when she'd leaned forwards and pressed her lips to his, and then it'd elicited a feeling he didn't know, had never felt, and it'd frightened him slightly…and yet he'd missed the feeling when she'd pulled away and he'd pressed _his_ lips to _hers_ and there it was again, divine agony and bliss. His body reacted in ways he didn't know it could, and he'd responded to her on instinct, drawing her closer and deepening whatever it was they were doing.

Something within him had awakened at her scent, and it became alive and _feral_ at her taste. He'd wanted to touch, to lick, to taste, to _smell_. There was something about Chloe's scent that left him feeling completely _dizzy_. It was alluring and called to him in ways he couldn't understand.

It was a little frightening for the usually fearless warrior.

And he knew it was something peculiar about Chloe. It was everything about her and her scent. He knew it wasn't just because she was a female of his species---or as close to his species as he'd seen since growing up in the Hell Dimension. No. He'd been in a room with two females in Angel's dwelling place—and when he'd escaped and joined the sea of people and their metallic monsters he'd been amongst many females.

And yet it was _her_ scent that'd hit him hard, causing him to track her down and try find the female that emitted that alluring aroma. He'd ignored all around him, forgotten that he'd just shamed himself by losing a battle with Angel, and instead concentrated on finding the female.

And find her he had.

She'd been surrounded by demons and yet she was defiant to the end, struggling and hissing and fighting, a warrior in spirit.

And it'd called to him.

Something in him had ordered him to protect and he had. He'd destroyed the threats to her, and when she'd taken him with her he'd gone trustingly without question. The young man who'd been taught to trust no one had done so with the small female, letting her buy apparel for him, acquire a room for them—had eaten from her hand without even thinking to make sure that the food wasn't poisoned or drugged.

And he'd _enjoyed_ himself in her company.

Connor tilted his head to the side, remembering her reaction to seeing him without his animal skins. She'd seemed _shocked_, so apparently in this dimension nakedness wasn't as common a thing as it was in _Quor'toth_. But her surprise and slight embarrassment hadn't truly been what'd caught his attention.

It'd been the spike in her scent. It'd grown headier, muskier, and he hadn't understood _why_ her scent had changed, but he knew that he _liked_ it…and that his body was reacting to it.

So while he found it embarrassing for some reason, when Holtz came out of the bathroom Connor asked him about human female/male interaction. When his father asked in surprise _why_ he wanted to know about it, Connor had felt his cheeks heat up as he told him about everything that'd happened the day before with Chloe.

Holtz sat on his bed, listening to his son in surprise.

"Why did she do that?" Connor asked finally as he finished the tale. "Press her lips to mine? What does it mean?"

"It---it's called a _kiss_." Holtz explained after a moment's silence. "Humans---_we_---do that with people we believe are _compatible_ with us. It's a way of expressing interest or curiosity about, uh, _compatibility_."

Connor was confused for a moment before he suddenly understood what his father was trying to say. "As in compatibility to _mate_ with?"

"Yes." Holtz seemed _relieved_ that Connor had realized this on his own without further explanation.

Connor's eyes widened as he sat back and let that information sink in. Chloe had wondered if he was a compatible candidate to be her _mate_?

A small smile curled the side of his lip.

"I see that that information agrees with you." Holtz sounded amused.

Connor looked up a little embarrassed. "I like her scent."

Holtz laughed, amused. "I think matehood has more to it than just liking the smell of the mate, Steven."

"But I don't react like this to any other female's scent." Connor admitted, a little perturbed by this. "When I entered this dimension and was in the dwelling place of Angel her scent was _everywhere_. I couldn't concentrate, it was all in my nostrils, distracting me, making me _hungry_—for what I don't know."

All laughter erased itself from Holtz' face as he leaned forwards, listening to Connor intently.

"I couldn't concentrate on the fight, and when I escaped Angel's dwelling I raced out and followed the trail of her scent. It was like a string in the air only I could see." Connor growled in frustration and confusion, running fingers through his messy brown hair. "When I found those demons attacking her something inside of me growled to defend her, to protect her, to kill all that dared threaten her."

Holts leaned closer, eyes narrowing. He'd only been this intent when he'd found out earlier by reading something called a _newspaper_ that while it'd been years for them in _Quor'toth_ it'd only been days for those who lived in this dimension.

"And then she took me away, and she pressed her---she _kissed_ me…and that same thing wanted more. I wanted to kiss her, touch her, smell her, lick her…" Connor looked up at his father in confusion. "Why is that father? What is it that reacted to her? Is it normal?"

"Having instinct dictate your actions so strongly? No, for humans it is not so strong or common." Holtz finally answered, slowly, obviously deep in thought. "But you are special, son, as is Chloe."

Connor looked up at that. "She told me about how Angel killed her, tried to force her soul out and a demon within her body." His dark scowl lightened a little as he continued. "But her soul won the battle, and she's _alive_." The scowl darkened once more. "But she's dependant on _his_ blood. She'll die without it."

"Obviously a way of his to make sure that he can control her." Holtz announced, causing Connor to look up at him in horror. "Obviously Angelus realized that he couldn't control her as a normal vampire can control their childer---her soul was pure, it was strong, it fought darkness and won. Son, that is unheard of."

It was Connor's turn to lean forwards and listen intently.

"She was probably destined to do great things for the light and Angelis realized this and decided to taint her so that she would be a weapon of evil at his hands." Holtz continued, face darkening. "And yet the power of god saved her, her soul won---and Angelus couldn't have an even _more_ powerful version of her out there working against him so he made her dependant on his tainted blood---made it so that she would have to serve him because her life depended on it. He's made her his own slave for eternity."

Connor's eyes darkened, angered even more at the creature who'd fathered him. Angel had done so many evil things to the world and to those around him---and yet he had the _nerve_ to say that _Holtz_ was the evil one?

"I _will_ kill him for all that he has done." Connor vowed, clenching his fists.

"Then you do not care that she will perish when you do."

The young man froze, frowning, remembering that detail. "She did no evil. She doesn't deserve to die."

"She—she reminds me of my dear daughter Sarah before Angelus and Darla tainted her and made her one of them." He closed his eyes for a second, pain crossing his old, withered face. "There might be a way to save her yet—a way to cure her of the unholy addiction and undo the brainwashing he has placed her under."

Connor nodded. "We will find it, and I will kill him. After all, it is the reason why I came here, to destroy the monster who killed your first family."

Holtz chuckled and opened his eyes, looking at his son. "Steven, you and I both know that you didn't follow the Sluks through the rip to _kill_ Angel in cold-blood. You do not have it in you, my son."

"I've killed many times before." Connor glared.

"Out of _necessity_." Holtz said fondly. "You didn't come here to kill Angel, you came here because you wanted to meet him."

"_No_." Connor stood rapidly. "I--."

"It's _okay_, son." Holtz stood as well, his presence and tone of voice calming. "I understand. He _is_ your true father---I always knew this day would come. I am not upset, I understand."

The young man wouldn't look his father in the eye.

"And I'm glad that you did it." Holtz spoke again. "Because now you will see the truth about your father and know that all I told you about him weren't stories of a bitter, delusional old man."

"I never thought---."

"I _know_, son." Holtz placed a hand on Connor's shoulder. "And I need you to do something for me. I need you to go back to Angelus."

"_What_?" The brunette narrowed his eyes in confusion. "Why would I--?"

"He has so much he can teach you that I cannot." Holtz announced. "You need to learn everything he has to teach you, get to know him, and then you will know the true Angelus and if you wish to at the time, you may confront him or join his side as his son."

"I would _never_--!"

"And you might find a way to cure the girl."

Connor froze.

Holtz smiled slightly. "The first time I saw this girl, you were newly born and she was holding you in her arms."

The young man looked up in surprise. "She was there the day I was born?"

"From my intel, I discovered that she was with your mother the entire time she was at the Hyperion. She helped nurse you—and if my intel can be trusted---she fed your mother her blood to keep her from going into bloodlust and killing innocents."

Sitting down on the bed, Connor frowned slightly at that revelation. "She fed my mother her blood?"

"Risky business considering that while Darla was always a bloodthirsty monster, during her pregnancy she was _insatiable_---or so I'm told. Angelus wouldn't give Darla the human blood she was craving—maybe he was punishing her, I do not know—but this girl of yours, she went behind Angelus' back and fed Darla her own." Holtz sat down as well. "Her blood kept innocents alive, Connor. Despite having a monster like Angelus as a master she risked his fury and saved innocents."

_'No!'_ Chloe's terrified words when the blue demons had attacked him the day before rang in Connor's ears. '_You leave him alone! He's an innocent!_'

"Go to him, son." Holtz urged. "Go to your father and learn all you can."

Silently Connor stood and nodded, mind made up.

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Thank goodness there was no business Monday morning because Team Angel were a little busy. Fred had constructed (overnight mind you) a device that could somehow read the magnetic waves (or something like that) from anything that had come out from the _Quor'toth_ dimension. The pretty brunette had explained it all quite explicitly some hours ago, but Chloe had felt clueless and bored and had left them at it.

"Okay, this is approximately where the portal was so it makes sense that I'd be getting a reading here." Fred announced, waving her machine around, everyone behind her listening to it beeping. She motioned to a place with her foot. "Mark that."

Gunn hurried to do as told.

Chloe looked up from where she was sitting on the counter of the receptionist desk, reading a romance book that she usually wouldn't get away with reading because Gunn would tease her endlessly. But right now the handsome dark man was marking the places on the floor his girlfriend told him to, and didn't notice what Chloe was reading.

The clicking continued and grew louder. "Okay. Looks like something might've come in here." Fred announced, not looking where she was going, only following the direction that caused her machine to click faster and faster.

Everyone followed her like lost puppies, eyes either on the machine, on the girl, or on the floor.

Chloe rolled her eyes in amusement, turning the page in her book and beginning to read again.

"Wait a minute." Fred said. "Wow. Something here is pretty hot." She continued to follow the trail.

Suddenly Chloe felt it and she froze. It was the same feeling she'd had yesterday before those demons had attacked her. She looked up, following that odd feeling, and her green eyes widened when they fell upon Connor. The young man was standing in the entrance, hands in his pockets, watching her, not even seeming to notice Fred as the older woman made a beeline towards him with her machine.

"Wow the readings are---," Fred finally stopped when she noticed shoes in front of her and looked up, noticing Connor as the young man looked down at her with boredom. "Alive." The brunette straightened up immediately as everyone else realized they had company. "Angel's son. _Hi_." She hurriedly turned off her machine. "I didn't mean to click at 'cha."

There was an uncomfortable silence as Fred hurried back to Gunn and Angel, hope in his eyes, went to stand in front of his silent son. "Hey."

"Hey." Connor nodded, looking uncomfortable but determined. "I, uh---I thought I'd come by, like you said."

Chloe smiled. Things might work out between those two after all.

A soft smile touched Angel's face. "Glad you did." A moment passed in silence before Angel turned to those behind him. "Everyone, um, this is, uh, _Steven_." He motioned for Connor to come closer. "Steven, this is Fred, that's Gunn, Cordelia, and that's Lorne."

"Hello young man." Lorne smiled.

"And, of course, you already know Chloe." Angel motioned to where she was sitting.

Chloe smiled and waved silently.

Connor nodded an acknowledgement.

"So, guys, are we about done here?" Angel asked, asking in his own unsubtle way to be left alone with his son.

"Hmmm?" Fred asked before suddenly getting it. "Oh, yeah!" She grabbed Gunn's arm. "Let's go do that _thing_."

Gunn looked confused for a moment before his eyes widened. "Yeah, sure, _that_ thing. The _thing_ we need Lorne's help with!"

"Exactly!" Fred cheered that he'd gotten her message.

Lorne raised an eyebrow at those two and shook his head in amusement before following them out.

"Yeah, so, um---," Cordelia looked around her, trying to figure out some excuse to get out. "Chloe and I have to go over some details over that last case we had." She finally grinned, heading over to the receptionist area, where Chloe was still seated on the counter, swinging her legs. "We'll get right to work on it, okay boss? And we'll, uh, I'll be sure to hold all your calls. You guys just take your time."

"_Quick thinking_." Chloe whispered the compliment to Cordelia.

"_Thanks_." The older woman grinned back at her as she whispered as well. _"It's those Improv classes I've been taking_. _Makes it easier to come up with lies at the drop of a hat!_"

Giggling, Chloe shook her head at her friend and closed up her book, grabbing one of the Case Logs and pretending to read it. Cordelia grabbed one, motioned for Chloe to scoot over, and joined her on the counter, both pretending that they were immersed in the Log Books and not spying on Angel and Connor.

"Oh my god." Cordelia giggled softly. "They look so much alike! Look at that! They're both uncomfortable and _folding their arms over their chests_. He is _so_ Angel's son."

Also amused as she spied at father and son over the top of the Case Log, Chloe nodded her agreement. "Will they stop looking in different directions and just _speak_ to each other?"

"They're men, honey. This whole bonding thing isn't as easy for them as it is for us women." Cordelia explained. "Remember, they aren't half as developed as we are despite the fact that we are from the same species."

"True, completely true." Chloe grinned.

Suddenly Cordelia paused, a frown on her face. "_WHAT?_" She screamed, causing Chloe to drop her Case Log in surprise, and for Connor and Angel to turn and look at her. "WHERE?"

"Cordelia?" Chloe asked, turning to her friend, worried. "Are you okay?"

"WHERE'S ANGEL?" Cordelia shook Chloe, still screaming. "CAN YOU HEAR ME, CHLOE?"

"Cordy?" Chloe's eyes went wide as she was shaken by Cordelia. "What is it? Is it a vision?"

"CAN YOU HEAR ME?"

Angel and Connor hurried in their direction, Angel reaching a second before and pulling Cordelia off of Chloe and forcing her to look at him. "Cordy, what's wrong? What is it?"

"ANGEL!" Cordelia looked relieved. "IT'S A BAR! VAMPIRES! A GANG OF THEM!"

"What's she going on about?" Connor asked warily.

Chloe hopped off of the counter, giving Angel and Cordelia more space, rubbing her smarting arms. "It's a vision." She told him, wincing slightly. "The Powers That Be give Cordelia visions of people Angel needs to help. He's the Powers' Champion."

"She hurt you."

Looking at him in surprise and confusion, Chloe followed his narrowed gaze and noticed that there were two ugly red handprints on her bare arms from where Cordelia had grabbed her tightly. "She didn't mean to."

"ANGEL, CAN YOU HEAR ME?" Cordelia was still screaming, looking at Angel in frustration. "I CAN SEE HER. A WOMAN! _ANGEL_! SHE'S ALL ALONE AND SHE DOESN'T SEE THEM!" She placed her hand to her ear as if she was trying to hear. "ANGEL, I CAN'T HEAR YOU! CAN YOU HEAR ME? IF YOU CAN--YOU HAVE TO HURRY!"

"Slow _down_!" Angel was trying to calm her.

Suddenly Cordelia blinked, looking around the Hyperion as if surprised to still see it there.

Chloe felt Connor's gaze on her but she ignored him, focusing on Cordelia. "Cordy, are you okay?"

Cordelia turned at Chloe's voice and nodded before turning to Angel and speaking normally. "There's a woman at a bar. There's a gang of vampires that are after her. You have to help her. In my vision I was in that bar and I couldn't hear anything because of the noise and I know that she won't make it if you don't help her."

"So much for holding my calls, huh?" Angel sighed with a small smile before turning to Connor. "Listen, um, I, uh, I have to go out for a while."

"It's okay." Connor announced too quickly.

"It's kind of my job." Angel hurried to explain.

"Yeah, whatever." Connor turned to leave, hands in his pockets.

"It could be kind of dangerous." Angel called after him. "There's a lot of killing and violence." There was a pause. "You wanna come?"

Connor paused and turned towards Angel, a small smirk lighting up his face. "Sure."

Angel grinned and then they were off.

Cordelia sighed as she turned to Chloe. "Off to dust a few vamps and kill or maim any other baddie in the neighborhood." She grinned brightly. "Now _that_ is how men bond."

Chloe laughed. "It's so much easier being a woman."

"_Amen_."

When Angel returned later without Connor, Chloe had been a little worried, but the smile on Angel's face had soothed away any fear. He'd sat down in the lobby and regaled Chloe and Cordelia with the story of how he and his son had fought back to back against a whole crew of vampires, and had beat the _crap_ out of them.

And then he and Connor had mock-fought out in the dark alley, enjoying sparring together and trying out their different fighting techniques without trying to hurt the other.

"He's an amazing fighter." Angel gushed about his son, eyes sparkling like Chloe had never seen them do before. "The kid was _born_ for it. The way he anticipated? I'm tellin' ya. It's in his blood."

Cordelia grinned, just as enthused with the story as Chloe. "You don't say."

"There we were, and it was like we had never been apart." Angel announced. "He felt it too, I know he did. You guys should've seen us together."

Chloe grinned as she sat on his lap and hugged him. "I'm so happy for you, Angel."

Angel grinned and hugged her back tightly. "I got my son back."

"You know who he reminds me of? Connor I mean?" Cordelia suddenly announced.

"Who?" Chloe asked, looking back at her friend in curiosity.

"Of Groo." Cordelia smiled softly, seeming lost in her thoughts. "I wonder how he's doing---king and all." She paused. "I wonder if he found himself a queen."

Angel looked a little insulted that Cordelia considered there to be something similar between his son and the Groosalugg.

Chloe didn't however. During the time they'd been in Pylea she'd thought the warrior in love with Cordelia to be extremely handsome and an amazing fighter. "Yeah, I kinda get what you're saying Cor. He _does_ remind me of Connor in some way."

Angel gave _her_ a little glare.

Cordelia just smiled.

Chloe hugged Angel once more, and when he hugged her back she knew she'd been forgiven.

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"Stop _saying_ that." Connor closed his eyes tighter, not waiting to hear what his father had said. Holtz had trailed him and Angel, had witnessed them fighting together in the bar, and playfully sparring in the alley. And now he was telling him this.

"It's true son." Holtz held Connor's hands in his own.

"You're _wrong_."

"I'm not wrong." Holtz sighed. "Anyone who saw you together would realize that's where you're meant to be—at his side."

"_No_."

"It was your need for him that drove you across the dimensions." Holtz said calmly.

"I don't _need_ him!" Connor exclaimed, feeling guilty and horrible for making his father believe this---for having _enjoyed_ spending time with Angel.

"Go back to him, Steven."

"Why are you doing this?" Connor whispered. "Why? God gave me to _you_."

"Yes." Holtz agreed with a sad smile. "It was God's plan for us to be together. Nothing would ever persuade me otherwise." He paused for a moment, looking at his son. "But now it's time for me to give you back."

"He's a _demon_."

"And you're the bastard son of two demons." Holtz replied in a no-nonsense sort of way.

"Then I'm a demon."

"You're not." Hotlz shook his head. "God help me. I don't know _what_ you are. But _I_ am not the one to give you answers. And there _are_ answers." He squeezed Connor's hands. "Go and find them out."

Connor pulled his hands from Holtz'. "This morning you told me that he was evil—that I should kill him, and now you say I belong with him? You told me not to be deceived, but _you've_ let _yourself_ be deceived."

"If I could stop this I would, son. But we were brought here by forces beyond our control."

"You're wrong." Connor stood from the table, refusing to listen to his father who said one thing one minute and another the other.

He left the motel and ran away as fast as his feet could take him. He needed to get away. He needed to think.

He needed…

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Chloe was already in her sleep-shirt when she felt it. It was that same tug she was beginning to associate with Connor. Curiosity ate her alive, wondering what he was doing here so late, so she tip toed out of her room and headed towards the stairs—towards the voices.

Down below Lorne was leaning against the railing, glaring at Connor, and Connor was sneering at Lorne even though he was seated next to Cordelia, who was talking to him as if trying to calm him.

"Steven," she laid her hand on his arm. "I know you haven't been in this world very long, and I image things were pretty Wild Westy out where you're from. But Lorne's a good guy, honestly."

Chloe frowned at that as she began to silently make her way down the stairs. Had Connor said or done something to Lorne?

"It's a _demon_." Connor sneered, eyes still on Lorne.

"Right. True. _He_ is." Cordelia agreed slowly. "But 'demon' doesn't always mean 'evil' in this dimension. I mean, look at me."

At that Connor finally slid his gaze off of Lorne and onto her.

"Well," Cordelia continued. "_I'm_ part demon. Yeah. By choice. I did I so that I could help people." She turned to Lorne with a small smile. "And so that the back of my head wouldn't explode."

Suddenly there was the sound of a dagger being unsheathed and Cordelia gasping as Connor moved fast as lightning, pinning Cordelia down and bringing the dagger he always kept on him down at her.

"_Connor_!" Chloe screamed as she raced off of the stairways and passed Lorne, who tried to grab her and pull her back for her own safety. "Connor _stop it_!"

He looked up at Chloe, seeming so frightened and lost and hurt, holding the dagger poised right above Cordelia's heart.

"You want to hurt a demon? Here. Hurt me." She whispered, slowly making her way towards them. "Don't hurt Cordelia though, please, Connor. _Don't_. She's my _friend_."

The hand Connor was holding the dagger with began to tremble.

"You don't have to do this." Chloe continued to edge forwards slowly, as if approaching a wounded wolf. "You don't have to _do this_."

'_I sense his sadness, anger and fear._' Cordelia's voice echoed in Chloe's head. Apparently another one of her powers was appearing. _'So much evil—so much PAIN he's had to see. Chloe---he's sick with it. It's eating him up. Holtz has hurt him psychologically so BADLY! And Quor'toth has hurt him in every other way. The darkness, the confusion—he thinks it's where he belongs but it isn't. This isn't him, Chloe, this is him in fear. He's not a bad boy---he isn't.'_

_I know_. Chloe was finally next to them, slowly reaching with her hand before she closed her fingers over the hand with which Connor held the dagger. "Let it go, Connor. Let all the hurts and everything go. You're alright now. You're safe. _You're safe_."

Connor's hand trembled, his wide, blue-eyed gaze on her and only her as he let her take the dagger from his hand and drop it on the floor.

"_Everything's going to be alright now_." She whispered, threading her fingers through his and subtly moving him off of Cordelia, moving so that he was seated and she was kneeling at his feet, eyes never leaving each other's.

Chloe raised her hand and cupped his cheek, her thumb caressing his skin in a soothing notion as she continued to whisper as to not jar him. She didn't realize she was glowing with a bright white light until she felt heat erupt in her and the brightness shot from her to Connor, covering them both.

The blonde was frightened, and she knew that he was too, but neither looked away from the other, and suddenly something inside of Connor _broke_, and the light took it away before disappearing.

Connor gasped softly, trembling, before Chloe acted on instinct and reached out and hugged him, holding him tightly to her as she would Angel or anyone else from her family. "_It's alright_." She whispered, feeling him holding her tight and shivering, tears wetting her clothes. "_Everything's_ _alright now_."

She didn't know how long they stayed like that. Chloe held him close until long after they'd both stopped crying, and just listened to the sound of their breaths, of their heartbeats. She felt drained, confused, wondering if this was the same white light Angel said had erupted from her body and burnt him when he'd killed her.

The light had done something to Connor too, it'd broken something from him and taken it, and yet Chloe knew that somehow it'd helped him. It'd taken the anger and the sorrow and the hurt, and it'd left him empty. But at least this way he could fill that gap with happier feelings, with better emotions.

Wondering if this meant that she'd had some demon in herself _before_ Angelus had sired her, Chloe felt all of her energy leave her as her eyes rolled in the back of her head and she collapsed.

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Connor had been given him own room in the Hyperion, and yet deep into the night he found himself seating on the foot of Chloe's bed. After she'd taken away the darkness he'd always had within she'd collapsed, nearly dead. Connor had been worried but Angel had swooped in, gathered her up, and taken her away.

Things had gone downhill from there.

Not only had Connor accidentally let slip that Holtz was back as well, but he'd let himself get tricked by Fred and Gunn, letting them take him to see the ocean. He'd thought it was their way to help him keep his mind off of his problems, but then he'd overheard them say how it was a way of keeping him distracted while Angel went to confront Holtz.

He'd raced away, desperate to get to his father on time but he'd been too late. Connor had come upon a woman crying over his father's dead body---his father's dead body with puncture wounds on his neck.

And the woman, Justine, told him of how Angel had confronted his father and killed him for taking Connor, even when Holtz had decided to leave Connor with Angel. They'd taken his father's body somewhere and burnt it, giving it the burial of a warrior, before beginning their plans to stop Angel once and for all.

"I can see how he has you fooled about his true nature." Connor whispered to Chloe's sleeping figure. "I have known him for only a day and I was beginning to believe…"

He closed his eyes tightly, remembering how he'd returned to the Hyperion and how Angel had told him a false story about talking to Holtz and how his father had given the vampire a letter for him. Connor had just gone along with the game, pretending that he hadn't found his father's dead body, pretending he believed in this letter he was presented.

It would only suit his purpose better.

Angel would be so self-confident believing that his lies hadn't been discovered, that his evil deeds had succeeded, that he wouldn't know what hit him when Connor avenged Holtz.

Chloe whimpered in her sleep, turning and hugging her pillow to her chest.

Connor opened his eyes and watched her, wondering what it was about her that made her special. Why he could track her so easily. Wondered why only now, in her presence, he felt peace.

"I'll set us both free." He whispered to her before getting up and going to his room.

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**God, am I the only one who hated Holtz and Justine? For some reason though, I hated Justine more. Holtz had a reason for hating Angel in particular, Justine didn't.**

**Review?**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Smallville or Angel.**

_Hope people are enjoying this!_

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Chloe woke up feeling more rested than she had in a long time. She remembered last night vaguely, but knew enough to know what'd gone on. It was disconcerting to realize that there was something inside of her that she didn't understand, something powerful enough to hurt Angelus and hopefully help Connor---and yet her thoughts really weren't on herself.

She'd gone downstairs and had been embraced by a relieved Cordelia—whose hug had nearly squeezed the life out of the young blonde. Gunn, Lorne and Fred had hurriedly hugged her as well and then it was Angel's arms around her, his voice low and worried and he asked her how she was feeling, asking her what's happened—what she'd _done_ the night before.

"If I may," Lorne cleared his throat from where he was standing. "I think this girl gave the not-so-nipper a complete detox." The green demon made up his nose. "When that kid came in here last night he was _toxic_---emphasis on the 'ick'."

Cordelia nodded rapidly from where she was standing next to Gunn. "I know, I felt it. It was that place, _Quor'toth_, it had poisoned him with its anger and fear and pain. It'd crept deep inside of him, gotten a good grip, and was refusing to let go. He was in such inner _pain_." She bit her bottom lip in sadness. "And then after Chloe touched him and that white light came out of her---he was _different_."

"What _was_ that light, sweetiecake?" Lorne asked Chloe in curiosity. "And while we're on that subject---why didn't you tell us that you had that little ability?"

"Because I didn't even know I had it." Chloe admitted, sharing a look with Angel. "The only other time something like happened was when Angelus sired me. I thought it was a fluke or something."

Sensing everyone looking at him, Angel nodded in confirmation. "I remember that the moment her heart stopped this bright light exploded inside of her, she was glowing, and it covered Angelus and burnt him like the sun—without the whole going up in dust part."

Fred blinked. "So you mean Chloe had demon in her _before_ you sired her?"

"What?" Angel made a face.

"I did _not_!" Chloe gasped, denying that although she remembered wondering the same thing before fainting in the lobby the night before.

Fred raised an eyebrow at them. "But Chloe---Cordelia bursts into white light and purifies the hotel of the slug thingies and the next night _you_ burst into white light and 'purify' _Connor_?" The skinny brunette made a face. "That's not a coincidence—plus, Cordelia can only do those stuff because of the deal she made to have some demon in her so she could live with the visions----but _you_ had the same thing happen to you before you were sired. So that can only mean you had demon in you before you were killed, right?"

Angel and Chloe shared a look.

"Never a boring day in our little world." Gunn sighed, folding his arms over his chest.

"That's why I love my life." Chloe smiled brightly, pushing away all the doubts and questions for another time. "So, talking about our little world, what happened to Connor after I fainted last night?"

That's when she was told about Holtz being back, about Angel going to confront him, and how the Hunter had surprisingly enough graciously stepped down. He'd given Angel a letter to give to 'Steven', and then had left right afterwards.

"So Connor's staying with us now." Angel grinned happily. "He spent the night here in the room in the south wing and everything."

"Cool." Chloe couldn't help but feel so happy for her sire as she saw him so excited about the prospect of being with his son again. "So, Angel, how about you and me do some training? Those demons showed me that I've gotten a little rusty."

"Sure." Angel nodded.

"Ooh! What don't you guys practice up here?" Fred asked. "I love watching you guys practice together." She grinned dreamily. "It's so beautiful."

Gunn and Cordelia shared a look at that.

Angel grinned at Fred. "Okay then. We'll practice up here, just let me change into something a bit more comfortable." He jogged up the stairs.

Chloe looked up after him and smiled before heading upstairs as well, her feet taking her to the south wing until she found the only room there that was habitable, and knocked on the door.

"Come in."

Hesitating for a second, the blonde opened the door and peeked in, noticing Connor sitting on the side of the bed, concentrating on the letter in his hands---the letter Angel had told her Holtz had given him for Connor.

"Hey." She whispered, slipping into the room and closing the door behind her, missing the way his head jerked up at the sound of her voice. "How are you doing?"

"You're awake." Connor announced, standing up from the bed and folding the letter, placing it in his back pocket.

"Yep." Chloe nodded from where she was leaning back against the door. "Angel told me about Holtz leaving. I'm sorry."

"Why would you be?" Connor asked darkly, shoving his hands into the front pockets of his jeans. "Isn't it what you all wanted? Him gone?"

"Yeah, it is what I wanted. I'm glad that he's gone—hopefully for _good_." Chloe once again nodded, noticing the surprise in his eyes when she agreed so quickly and openly. "I might hate Holtz personally for what he did to Angel, but you love him, Connor, and he raised you as if you were his son. He was the only father you can remember---so I'm sorry for _you_ that he left---even though I'm glad he's gone and I think you'll one day be glad he left too."

Connor was silent his blue eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at her as if in awe. "You're the first person to talk to me so truthfully in this place."

"You'll find that I prefer getting in trouble for saying the truth than for lying." Chloe admitted sheepishly. "Plus, I've been told repeatedly that I _suck_ at lying, so why even try?"

He looked at her as if she was the first of a new species that he'd ever encountered. "I appreciate being told the truth."

"So do I. We'll get along well then." She grinned before turning and grabbing the handle.

"What did you do last night to me?" His voice stopped her.

Looking at the handle, Chloe made a face. "I don't know." She looked over her shoulder at him. "The only other time I did that was when Angelus killed me. I didn't control it then, I didn't control it last night either."

"_Chloe_?" Angel could be heard calling from below.

"_Coming_!" She cried as she threw open the door. The blonde paused and turned to look at Connor. "Why don't you come downstairs? Angel and I are going to practice and I know he'd like for you to be there. The only reason he isn't here now is because he doesn't want you to feel pressured to spend time with him even though you're living under his roof."

"He told you this?" Connor asked as he joined her out of his room, both making their way down the stairs to where Angel and the others were waiting.

"No." She whispered to Connor as they descended. "But I know your father like the back of my hand."

For some reason that made Connor stiffen.

Angel's face registered his largest grin to date when he looked up and saw his son coming down with Chloe. "Con—_Steven_."

Connor looked up when they made their way towards him. "Angel."

The smile slid a little before it was back at full force. "How was your first night here at the Hyperion?"

"It was good." Connor nodded.

"Gunn and Cordelia went to get everyone breakfast from Burger King, and Lorne's out visiting some friends of his." Fred explained why she was the only one in the lobby with Angel waiting on Chloe.

"Egg and Cheese Croissants." Chloe sighed with happiness before turning to Angel. "Let's work up an appetite."

He grinned before he attacked her. Chloe anticipated the move---honestly, Angel always started their sparring the same way, so it was easy to dodge his attempt and kick him away from her. The blonde mocked Angel and laughed when he mocked her right back, all the while they continued to punch, jab, kick and spin.

"It's like a dance only they know the steps to." Fred whispered in a dreamy sigh to Connor.

When Angel kicked her feet from under her and went to pin her to the ground, Chloe twisted in his hold and slid out from under him like a worm, laughing when he tried to twist and reach for her yet ended up losing his balance and collapsing in a mess of hands and legs.

"They've already started." Gunn could be heard telling Cordelia as they entered the Hyperion with the bags of mouth-watering food.

"Morning Steven." Cordelia smiled at the young man who'd tried to kill her the night before as if the situation had never happened. "I hope you like croissants and hash browns."

"I do not know what they are." He responded truthfully.

Chloe motioned for time-out as the smell of food was too much to handle, her stomach growling loudly. "Angel—can't fight—need food."

The vampire grinned at her. "What happens if you're hungry and fighting something evil during a banquet?"

The blonde flashed her sire a cheeky grin as she reached for her food and began to unwrap it. "I'll just pass whatever baddie over to you and start to eat." She took a bite out of her croissant, chewed, and swallowed. "I don't have to worry, Angel. You're the best fighter I have ever seen, and you're always going to be there to protect me."

Angel grinned before turning to Connor. "She's just stroking my ego so that I'll let her eat."

"Damn straight." Sticking her tongue out at Angel, Chloe took a big bite out of her food.

"Why aren't you eating, Connor?" Gunn asked, noticing the boy leaning against the wall, arms folded over his chest, just observing everyone.

"My name is _Steven_." The hard glint in those baby blue eyes challenged Gunn to say otherwise.

A tense silence followed.

Chloe looked up from her food. "So, uh, Angel says that you kicked some ass at the bar last night." She smiled when she saw the proud look the young man's face when she said that. "You know Angel, you should be careful. With a little training he might just take over your place as the head ass-kicker."

Connor gave Chloe a smile before turning to Angel. "My father might have taught me to fight to the best of his abilities, but _you_—you fight like nothing I've ever seen."

Angel had winced when Connor had called Holtz his father, but his grin was back full force at the compliment. "Yes, well, years of training and innate talent---."

"Ego-alert." Cordelia whispered to Chloe.

Angel sent his vision-girl a glare.

Connor smirked before his face suddenly went serious once more. "I wish to learn---to learn all you know. To be, to be more like _you_."

Chloe's smile brightened as she saw the look in Angel's eye when Connor said that. "Connor, you couldn't have asked for a better teacher."

"Are you hungry?" Angel asked his son. "If you aren't we could begin now."

Connor smiled at his father for the first time. "Let's."

Chloe, Gunn, Fred and Cordelia all ate their breakfast in the lobby of the Hyperion to the view of Angel and Connor sparring. The blonde watched father and son and giggled with happiness as she watched all the wariness slowly drain from Connor's face as he got into the lesson and began to truly enjoy himself.

While Connor didn't have the technique or years of experience under his belt like his father did, he was faster and had a viciousness, accuracy and determination that Angel did not—and that made for an interesting lesson. Father and son laughed as they fell into comfort as they moved through the dance of battle, receiving and delivering friendly blows.

Somehow that lesson went into another, as Angel began to teach Connor about how to use his vampiric abilities while in battle, and how differentiate vampires from civilians during rapid fighting. Connor picked up amazingly rapidly, although Angel _did_ best him at most of the fights.

Finally they broke apart, exhausted from having sparred most of the morning together. Luckily there had been no clients so father and son could spend the time uninterrupted.

"You guys are great." Cordelia gushed, clapping her hands enthusiastically.

Fred and Gunn sat together on the sofa, chatting together with silly grins on their faces as they grinned at each other.

Chloe once more sat on the counter of the receptionist's desk, grinning at Angel and Connor. She was about to tell them that she agreed a hundred percent with Cordelia's assessment when suddenly the world spun and tilted dangerously, and the next thing she knew she was in Connor's arms, looking up into his worried blue eyes.

"What---happened?" Chloe whimpered, placing her hand to her throbbing forehead.

"You fainted." Angel was standing next to Connor, looking at her in worry. "_Again_."

"I hadn't even noticed that you were fainting until Connor rushed towards you and caught you before you could hit the ground." Cordelia announced, pushing Angel out of the way and ignoring Gunn and Fred, who were hovering over in worry as well. "This is the second time you've fainted, Chlo. I think maybe whatever you did to Connor really wore you out. And the sparring with Angel this morning didn't help any."

Seeing the accusing glare sent his way, Angel's eyes went wide. "_What_? Oh come _on_ Cordy, you can't really blame _me_ for this!"

"How are you feeling?" Connor asked Chloe, adjusting her weight in his arms but not moving to put her down, or at least rest her on the sofa.

"Weak." Chloe answered truthfully, closing her eyes. "Angel---I need you."

Connor's body went rigid under her.

"What is it Chloe?" Angel asked, resting his hand on her forehead.

"I need to feed." She whispered, opening her eyes and looking at him.

Angel's gaze went up to Connor immediately before it returned to Chloe and he nodded. "Of course. You're weak because of what happened last night so you're body's asking for more blood than usual. I should have thought to offer it to you this morning."

"Yeah, you _should_ have." Cordelia slapped his arm in reproach.

Angel sent his link to the Power That Be a 'what do you _want_ from me, woman?' look before motioning for Connor to put Chloe down on the sofa. The vampire sat down and pulled her up onto his lap.

Chloe closed her eyes, feeling embarrassed, resting her face in the crook of Angel's neck. She'd fed once or twice in front of the others----although it'd been moments of emergency. But she felt weird doing it now because of _Connor_. She didn't understand the slight feeling of _guilt_ as she felt the tingle in her gums as her fangs manifested.

Why should she care if Connor saw this? Sure, she was attracted to him, but she'd already decided that an attraction to her sire's _true_ child could never end well so she wouldn't pursue it.

"C'mon Chlo, don't get stage fright." Angel soothed, rubbing her back encouragingly as he tilted his neck further, granting he access. "She—uh—blood straight from the jugular is stronger and more powerful." He was obviously explaining that to Connor, since the others from Team Angel already knew that information.

Closing her eyes tighter, Chloe sank her fangs into the skin of Angel's neck, piercing the vein and latching on, muttering a little purr of contentment as she drew the blood into her mouth, feeling the power of her sire fill her. Her hand gripped his arm as she began to massage it much like a cat, feeling the hand he had on her lower back do just the same.

Like when she fed, Chloe felt arousal wet the vee of her thighs, and she rubbed them together unknowingly, tightening her hold on Angel, her fingernails biting into the skin of his arm.

Despite the heady, delectable taste of sire's blood, Chloe always found herself very much in control of her bloodlust, and when she felt strong enough she carefully pulled her fangs from Angel's neck, eyes still closed, resting her head against his chest.

"How are you feeling, Chlo?" Cordelia asked from her side.

"Better." She whispered, tearing herself away from Angel's neck with a yawn. "A little drowsy, but much better."

"You should probably lay down." Angel announced carefully beneath her. "Go on upstairs and rest for a while. Tonight we'll do something fun—like go see a movie."

"We haven't been to the movies in forever!" Fred clapped her hands in excitement. "Jumbo popcorn containers and free refills with extra butter here we come!"

Chloe laughed softly at the enthusiasm Fred always had when it came to food. The blonde got up from Angel's lap and yawned slightly.

The phone on the reception desk rang.

Cordelia rushed towards it and answered in a rush. "Angel Investigations—we help the hopeless…Oh, Lorne, it's only you." She pouted and then suddenly grinned. "Sorry, didn't mean to say it like that. Yep. Sure. I'll tell Angel." Hanging up Cordelia turned to their resident vampire. "Angel, Lorne says he needs to talk to you in person. That it's urgent and you should come alone—he's at the Mantecas Bar."

"Know the place." Angel nodded as Chloe slipped off of his lap and he stood up, grabbing the leather coat Fred had hurried to get him when she'd heard that Lorne wanted to see him. "It has a sewer access."

"You sure you should go alone?" Gunn asked, making a face.

"Yeah." Angel nodded, slipping on his jacket. "Anyway, I want you and Fred to do a check up with Mrs. Manderson and make sure that her cat hasn't been possessed by the spirit of the sabretooth tiger again. She called earlier to say that Fluffy was acting odd again."

"Not even kitty-cats are safe in this world." Fred pouted before heading out with her boyfriend to do their job.

Angel turned to Cordelia. "Cordy, I need you to---."

"Oops, sorry." The pretty woman gave her boss an innocent smile. "Whatever it is, no can do, boss."

The vampire raised an eyebrow. "And why not?"

"Because _I_ have got an appointment at one of _the_ best salons in town, and it's one of those places that you have to pay half of your soul to be able to get in to." Seeing the worried look her boss gave her, Cordelia made a face at him, resting her hand on her hip. "Not _literally_ your soul." She snorted. "_Really_ Angel."

He looked a little sheepish. "Oh, okay then. Well, go on then, you don't want to be late. As long as your literal soul is not in the mix I have no problem."

Cordelia snorted again, eyebrow raised. "Thanks for the approval." Shaking her head once more at the vampire, Cordelia grabbed her bag, waved at Chloe and Connor, and was out of the Hyperion quicker than one could say "mani-pedi".

Turning to the remaining people in the hotel, Angel spoke. "Do you two think you can man the desk while we're gone?"

"Oh, Angel, how will we _ever_ survive picking up the phone and dealing with any walk-ins without your presence to guide us?" Chloe snarked, already feeling like herself as she walked passed him and jumped up onto the desk once more, sitting next to the phone.

Connor grinned at her. "This will be an educational experience."

"Every moment with me is an educational experience, kid." Chloe replied, grinning when she saw the way he sneered at her for calling him a kid. Well, he'd have to get used to it! She used to call him that only days ago (when he _was_ a kid), and it would help her remember who he was—especially since they were going to be alone in the Hyperion until Angel or someone else got back.

"Good." Angel turned to Connor. "Con—_Steven_, take care of Chloe while I'm gone, alright?"

Connor nodded.

"Not that I _need_ to be taken care of or anything." Chloe interjected from where she sat.

The males ignored her, Angel leaving and Connor going towards her, slipping up onto the desk and sitting on the other side of the phone.

For a moment there was uncomfortable silence between them as they didn't know what to say to each other. Chloe looked down at her hands, not knowing what to say and hating the silence. She wasn't used to silence. When one lived in a world such as hers they thrived off of sound and a teensy bit of chaos.

"What does his blood taste like?"

Jerking in surprise, Chloe blinked as the question registered, and she turned to look at Connor, who was seated close to her, gazing down at his shoes. "Angel's blood? It—it's the best blood that I've ever had, but then again that's because it's my sire's blood, and sire's blood will always be sweeter to the childe."

Connor frowned at that as he finally turned to look at her. "It's the best blood you've tasted? But I thought you said you could only drink _his_ blood or you got ill."

"Well, not exactly." Chloe fidgeted. "I only drink Angel's blood, but his isn't the only blood I can drink. Don't get me wrong. I can't drink human or demon blood. But I _can_ drink the blood of my vampiric family."

Connor's eyes widened slightly at this revelation. "Wait, you're saying that any of Angel's childer can donate blood to you?"

"Well, yes, and grandchilder as well." Chloe nodded, remembering how it'd been Spike's blood that'd kept her alive and sane during Angel's time in hell. "I guess I need the blood from someone with Angel's blood flowing through their veins."

Connor's eyes were wide. "You mean---you mean _I_ could be your donor?"

Chloe paused as she thought over. "I—I don't---I'd never thought---maybe. There could be a good chance I guess." She blinked, sending him a sideways glance, not understanding the look in those baby blues. Was it worry? Did he think that she would try to attack him or something? She felt a little hurt. "It doesn't matter anyway. I'd never drink your blood."

"Why not?"

Blinking, Chloe turned to him, wondering if he'd sounded insulted or if that'd been all in her imagination. "Because I don't need to." She replied truthfully. "Believe me, having to drink blood from someone isn't something I enjoy doing and--."

Connor snorted darkly and looked away. "That's not what your _smell_ was saying a while back."

Chloe froze, going pale and blushing red all at the same time. Yes, it was an amazing feat and yet she pulled off paling and blushing all at the same time.

What had he _meant_ about her smell? Could he--? _Had_ he---?

_Oh god---how embarrassing_.

Why didn't the phone ever ring when you really needed it to?

"I am going to need more apparel." Connor finally spoke, fingering the shirt she'd bought for him the day they'd met.

"Yeah, you are." Chloe nodded, thankful for the change in subject, giving him a once-over. "And while Angel is stingy with a dollar we're gonna have to take you out to get some new clothes, and some shoes and other things as well. Angel's going to have to realize that he's got a kid now and thus he's just going to have to hand me over his credit card and get over it."

"I am _not_ a kid." Connor glared at Chloe. "This is the second time that you call me this but I'm around your age."

"Technically you're wrong." Chloe replied slowly. "I mean, I was sired when I was seventeen, which means that while I'm going to look and be seventeen for the rest of my life, technically I'm going to be older than when I was sired. I _should_ be twenty right now, for example."

He looked her over.

Feeling a little self-conscious she shifted, looking down at her bare feet. She could feel his gaze on every inch of her, as if examining every detail of her, and she didn't understand _why_. She also didn't understand why she reacted this way to him, why she was so hyperaware of everything he did.

"Sooo…I'm guessing they didn't have movies in _Quor'toth_." She spoke up because the silence had become too intense.

"No." Connor shook his head. "I don't even really know what it is to be truthful."

"Oh, it's fun." Chloe grinned, since it was her favorite pastime when they weren't killing some baddie. "It's like a big box that shows you a story. It's entertaining. I love it." Her eyes grew wide, as did her smile. "Maybe we could go to the drive-in theatre! I love that place! I'm sure you'll like it."

Connor just looked at her in silence before smiling.

Neither knew how adventurous their night at the drive-through theatre would prove to be.

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**Hey everyone! You likey?**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Smallville or Angel.**

_Hey everyone. Thanks for the reviews and the encouragement! You guys are the greatest ever! Oh, and just to let everone know---I've thought it out long and thoroughly and decided to change this to __**M**__—just a warning to those who started reading when it was a __**T**__._

_This is for __**obscurereference**__ who wanted more of Connor's POV._

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Connor knew that Chloe had been sad ever since she'd found out that her friend, that green demon, was leaving that night for some place called Las Vegas. The young man didn't know how to feel about anything. On one hand this creature had taken care of him as a child, and yet on the other it was a demon. And yet, so was Chloe, and he didn't want to hurt _her_.

He'd been trained to kill demons no matter _what_ or who they were, he'd been trained to hate them with all his heart---and yet he didn't even want to _try_ to hate Chloe.

He was confused.

He'd been trained to hate vampires most of all—to find them and their need for blood disgusting. And yet the thought of Chloe straddling his lap, chess pressed against his, her fangs deep in his neck and his hands on her skin---it heated his body and made him hard and uncomfortable.

Connor mightn't have any experience in such things, but his father _had_ told him the basics of male/female relations so he knew what it meant. It meant that his body liked the image in his head and it was more than accepting of Chloe as a mate.

_Mate_.

The idea both pleased and terrified the young man. He really didn't know much about matehood other than the fact that a male and female chose each other for life and joined together to procreate and further their lineage. To create a pack or clan of their own.

Most of his knowledge of mates and matehood came from observing the demons and creatures of _Quor'toth_. He'd seen so many different ways of wooing but never had he seen the ways of his own people, and he doubted Chloe would be moved to his case if he presented her with the biggest rock he could find _or_ if he killed all the males around her.

Talking about _killing_, Connor frowned as he remembered the way Chloe's smell had spiked when she'd sat on Angel's lap, feeding from him. When Connor had first smelt this change in her smell in the bathroom of that hotel he'd been confused, not knowing what it meant or why he'd liked it, but Holtz had explained it to him. Connor now knew that Chloe's smell spiked as her body's way of subconsciously telling an available, suitable male that she was willing and interested in being his mate.

So that meant that she found _Angel_ a suitable candidate for her mate.

Connor clenched his jaw, sending the vampire a glare. They were driving in Angel's 'car' to this drive-through theatre. Gunn, Fred and Cordelia were seated in the back, and Angel, Chloe and Connor in the front.

Well, why _wouldn't_ Chloe think that Angel would be a suitable mate? He was her mate in every sense of the word except for the act (Connor knew this because he would have smelt his father's scent strongly on a certain place of her body if it were). The vampire not only provided Chloe with a place to live, but he provided her with protection and his blood offered her life---and he also made sure she ate and was in good health.

So, yes, in truth Angel was her mate in every way except for the way that counted.

Connor made a face.

Then again, Angel did the exact same things for the female Fred (except for the blood of course)---and she was with the male Gunn.

So maybe things were different here.

All Connor knew was that Chloe'd reacted to him. In that small bathroom when she'd seen him without the animals skins her scent had spiked stronger than it had with Angel while she fed, and that had to mean something. If he could offer her everything Angel could, Connor could make her choose him.

It wasn't as if Angel was doing much to convince her otherwise anyway.

Connor sent Chloe a sideways glance as she laughed at something Cordelia had said behind them, while all the time moving to the noise blaring loudly from something she'd called the 'radio'. The blonde looked prettier than usual, hair up in a ponytail, dressed in pants that were tight and a shirt that he'd have preferred to cover more.

It wasn't that the young warrior didn't enjoy the view of her porcelain skin---it was just that he didn't appreciate the fact that the other males in the 'car' could as well.

Chloe must have sensed his gaze on her because she turned to him and flashed him a smile, and it went straight to his manhood. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, feeling his pants become tighter and uncomfortable.

"Here we are." Angel announced happily as they turned off into the drive-through theatre.

Connor tried to take it all in quickly as they paid and drove up to a spot to watch this 'movie'. He was amazed as it began and images appeared in front of him. It was unlike anything he'd ever seen. He could see why Chloe found this entertaining, this was more interesting than when his father would sit him down and tell him stories. This way he felt as if he was actually _there_.

An explosion rocked the world on the screen, and everyone gasped and jumped in surprise. Connor was surprised when Chloe grabbed his hand, eyes wide and on the screen as she watched the fight scenes. He had a feeling that she didn't realize what she was doing as she leaned closer to him, but that just made him smirk slightly.

She was sitting between him and Angel and yet she was leaning towards _him_ subconsciously for support and protection as the main male's brother was savagely killed onscreen.

"Isn't this movie amazing?" Chloe whispered, turning towards Connor with a grin, suddenly pausing. When she'd shifted towards him and turned it'd brought their faces close together, and now Connor's breath caught in his throat as he looked at her and he realized something.

He wanted press—he wanted to _kiss_ her again.

Her eyelids lowered slightly as she continued to look at him, breathing a little erratic, and her scent spiked as her lips parted slightly.

Connor's blue gaze rested on those lips and he bit back the desire to groan. He wanted to kiss her but didn't know if he should. He knew about demon wooing but he didn't _understand_ the mating rituals of his own species! In the Monteilq demon clan the male took full charge of the mating by choosing the female of his choice and aggressively wooing her, but a Greizl demoness would tear apart any male who tried to touch her without her explicit approval before.

How did _human_ wooing work?

Was Chloe waiting to decide and make her move or was she waiting for _him_ to act first and woo her?

Something inside of Connor snarled in anger and frustration.

His father had _not_ told him _anything_ about _this!_

The young man could smell Chloe's interest, it was faint enough for Angel not to notice it as he was fully interested in the movie, but it was enough to make Connor _twitch,_ his body corresponding with hers.

_I find you compatible and if you play this right you could be my mate---_her body whispered to his.

_I want that_---his body responded eagerly, needily. _What do I have to do to have you?_

"Wow, Chloe, did you _see_ that?" Angel laughed, ruining everything.

Chloe jumped, eyes widening, and suddenly she was farther from Connor, scooting away and smiling shakily at Angel, who didn't seem to notice that there was anything wrong with his childe.

Or maybe he did.

The vampire was ruthless and cunning. He'd nearly tricked Connor into believing that he was different and that they could be a family. Connor---Connor was ashamed to admit that for a second he'd _hoped to God_ that Angel was telling the truth, that he wasn't a monster and that he wanted them to live happily and together. Connor had _wanted_ to get to know his father, to have a relationship with him.

And then he'd seen Angel's true nature when he'd lied to him and gone behind his back to brutally murder Holtz despite the fact that the old man was defenseless and had been about to leave Connor with Angel out of the goodness of his heart.

And learning the truth had hurt Connor more than he cared to admit.

Because that would mean that he'd have to admit to himself that the real reason he'd crossed over to this dimension hadn't been to kill Angel, but to know him, to be with him—to be his son.

And right now he couldn't accept that.

_I can't._

Suddenly a large metallic flying thing zoomed over the screen, a bright light shinning down from its belly on the cars below, finally resting on _theirs_. The sides of the flying thing opened and ropes were let down as human males hurriedly rappelled down.

"Wolfram and Hart!" Fred gasped right before all hell broke loose.

Connor didn't know who these people were, all he knew was that they were attacking them. They leapt from the car and fought back. Connor was on autopilot, letting his instincts guide him as he twirled and kicked and punched and jabbed. Angel was right about one thing, Connor had the vampiric genes and abilities, and the senses, and now that he'd been trained a bit to use them better his fighting was improving amazingly quickly.

When the man he fought collapsed unconscious, Connor looked around quickly, assessing the situation, blue eyes both trying to find the next closest threat—and trying to find Chloe amidst the confusion.

His gaze found Chloe, where she jabbed her elbow into the face of her attacker and twirled around, kneeing him in the groin. Both attacks sent the man to his knees screaming in pain like nothing Connor had ever heard.

He smirked in pride.

Those blue eyes then noticed Angel in trouble, and he hurried towards his father's side. Sure this vampire was a monster playing nice and waiting for the perfect time to show his true colors, but if anyone was going to bring him to justice it was going to be _Connor_. No one else was going to touch Angel until then.

Reaching his father, Connor grabbed the man about to stake him, and threw him as hard as he could against the nearest car—causing an indent in the shape of the man in the metal exterior.

Angel turned to Connor in surprise and then smiled. "Thanks, son."

Connor smiled at Angel, playing along, wondering if he'd learnt to hide his true self as good as his father---if such deception was inheritable through genes.

"_ABORT!_" A voice sounded loudly through the air.

Angel's head jerked towards a large van parked a little away and in a second he'd dashed towards it and torn off the back doors to show two men sitting in what would seem to be a monitoring studio.

Angel growled. "Gavin. Linwood."

"Oh no," Chloe whispered, hurrying towards Angel.

Connor frowned and followed suit, both reaching the vampire in time for Angel to grab the elder Caucasian male and pull him out, growling viciously into his face.

"Hey! Hey! Hey! Easy! Easy! _Easy_!" The human sputtered. "You attacked me first. Now we're even."

"Now you're _dead_."Angel hissed.

The human snorted and made a face at him. "What? You're gonna kill a human in front of your son? Set an example?"

Connor wondered why this human thought it would matter if Angel killed someone in front of him. He already knew what sort of monster his father was, he had already seen his work first hand. Nothing Connor could be shown anymore would change his view or his plan.

"I vote _yes_." Gunn announced from behind ignoring the look that Fred gave him.

"I vote that if there's any killing, it's not done in front of so many civilian witnesses." Cordelia piped up from Gunn's other side, looking a little chirpy despite the circumstances.

The man Angel was holding looked at her incredulously for that comment.

"You come near me, my family, or my friends again, and I'll make I did to you feel like _heaven_." Angel's voice was dark and dangerous, and Connor could tell that his true face, his killing face, was itching to appear.

"Angel!" Chloe grabbed the vampire's arm. "Let Linwood go. He's not worth it."

"Ah, yes, Angelus' Favored, the Night Blossom I've heard so much about." Linwood sneered at her slightly. "I haven't had the pleasure of meeting you personally. When your _champion_ kidnapped and tortured me you weren't in L.A., were you? You had disappeared with your lover, the suddenly absent Kal. Where _is_ he, by the way?"

Connor stiffened immediately as the creature in him lashed out at the thought of Chloe already having someone. While this Linwood hadn't said _mate_, Connor had a feeling that this word, 'lover', meant something similar.

A sharp sound split the night air.

"Angel, it's the cops." Chloe ignored Linwood and his words. "We should go."

One could see that Angel was battling with forces deep within, and when the vampire only lifted Linwood higher into the air it was obvious that the demon within was winning.

"Angel _please_." Chloe pleaded.

Sensing the desperation in Chloe's voice, Connor took control of the situation. Pulling Angel rapidly back he caused the elder man to lose his balance and let go of Linwood, and in a second Connor was in his place, holding the man by the front of his shirt, glaring murderously at him. "Stay away from my father."

That said, he pushed the man away so that Linwood slammed into the van and tumbled inside. The young man could sense Chloe's gaze on him, and he wanted to do something, to say something that would impress her.

He also wanted to know who the _hell_ this '_Kal' _was.

"I'm not your enemy." Linwood told Connor from where he was sprawled on the van's floor. "We can help you, Steven."

The sound of the sirens drew closer.

Chloe stiffened.

Connor kept his cold gaze on Linwood. "My _name_ is _Connor_."

And suddenly Chloe relaxed.

Connor wondered if she'd been worried that he'd side with who was obviously her enemy, and the thought stung. Did Chloe really think so little of him? Did she really think that he would go and become her enemy?

Didn't she realize that she was the only person alive in _any_ dimension who he would _never_ hurt?

Angel's hand came down on his shoulder, the vampire smiling at him. "Let's go home, son."

As he turned around to head back to the car, Connor sent a sideways glance at Chloe, noticing that she was smiling slightly at him. He returned the smile quickly and decided that it wasn't her fault that she doubted him. Had he really given her a reason to trust him fully?

No.

"You did good tonight." Chloe whispered to him before getting into the car.

Connor smiled as he got in behind her. _And the night has not ended yet._

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Back at the Hyperion everyone laughed and spoke about the movie they hadn't been able to finish, but about the fight and how they'd kicked Wolfram and Hart's butt _again_.

Cordelia Chase smiled softly as her brown gaze swept the room filled with the people she loved the most.

Fred was sitting on Gunn's lap as they exchanged those love-sick glances that always made a little someone inside of Cordelia either growl with jealousy or whine with envy. Honestly, when those two were around each other the love was so sweet it was a little _sickening_ to those who weren't quite as lucky in the cupid department.

And yet Cordy loved them and was happy that they'd found each other.

Angel sat next to Connor, grinning so proudly as he spoke about how Connor had fought and then put Linwood in his place. The vampire was practically _shining_ with paternal pride, and Cordelia smiled a little more just because she was happy he was happy.

The brunette suddenly frowned.

_Hopefully he's not happy enough to have that 'perfect moment' thingy._

Shaking her head and shivering slightly at the thought of _Angelus_, Cordelia's gaze then went to the person in the room whose life had been closest linked to said demon.

Chloe sat on an armchair, not raising her gaze from her nails.

Cordelia wondered about this but when her gaze went to the last of their group (now that Lorne had left for Vegas while they were out) the woman suddenly realized _why_.

Connor might have been sitting next to his father and joining in the conversation every couple of words, but his gaze kept quickly returning to Chloe, and the longing in those eyes shocked Cordelia to the core.

Um, _Hello?_ Be kind, rewind.

_How_ had she managed to miss _this_ development?

Cordelia blinked and rubbed her eyes, but when she looked at Connor again his gaze had returned to Chloe once more.

So, no, it wasn't a fluke.

Angel Junior had the hotts for Chloe.

_Now why did I want to be an actress when my whole life is a soap opera?_

Cordelia groaned slightly.

She was going to have to have a talk with Chloe and let her know what was going on. The blonde was going to have to put Connor in his place and let him down gently. And it would be best that this all happened _before_ Angel realized who his bags-o-hormones of a son couldn't keep his gaze off of.

Connor stood and yawned slightly. "I'm going to bed now."

_I'll do it tomorrow_.

Telling herself that she was _not_ a coward for not wanting to do this _now_, Cordelia shot up rapidly to her feet. "Me too." She stretched and yawned very unconvincingly before heading towards the door. "Good night all!"

Hurrying out the door without letting anyone say anything, Cordelia got into her car and drove to her apartment and the only constant male in her life---Phantom Dennis. Really, when the ghost haunting your apartment was the only male you had sleeping over your home---it was pathetic.

Shaking her head, Cordelia went to the bathroom and bathed. She took her dear sweet time, trying to think about what to do and how to approach the subject of Connor's ragin' teenage lust with Chloe.

"Um, Chloe, you know how vampiric families like to, uh, _share_?" She tried practicing as she got out of her shower and wrapped a towel around her body. "Well, I think Connor's more vampiric than we gave him credit for!"

She groaned at how pathetic that sounded and headed towards the fogged up mirror with a sigh. "Oh god. Kill me now." Wiping the fog from the mirror, Cordelia's eyes widened when she saw the reflection of the large, spider/crab looking creature behind her.

But before she could even open her mouth to scream there was a sharp pain in the back of her head and everything went black.

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About half an hour after Connor went to bed, someone called Angel and he'd left the Hyperion in a mysterious huff. The vampire hadn't wanted anyone going with him or anyone knowing where he was going or who had called him.

Chloe laid on her bed, wondering why she felt so restless.

_Angel will be fine_. _He always is_.

Sighing, she closed her eyes and forced herself to fall asleep.

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Connor stood by Angel's car, leaning on it, wondering when the vampire would finally turn around and notice he was there watching him, waiting on him.

Looking over the edge of the cliff down towards the beach, Angel sighed and turned back around, freezing when he _finally_ noticed Connor behind him. "_Connor_?"

"Dad." Pushing away from the car, Connor smirked, beginning to stalk towards him.

"What are you doing here?" Angel asked, looking around him. "I got an anonymous phone call saying that it was of vital importance that I be here. It could be dangerous. It could be a trap. You should go home."

"It doesn't matter." Connor sneered, shaking his head at the naïve act the vampire was putting on. "We're family, and I want to show you how I feel about that."

With that Connor barreled into Angel as fast and hard as he could, sending both of them over the side of the cliff, rolling down the jagged rocks to the beach below.

Hitting the sand with a bone-crunching thud, both men groaned in pain, their vampiric abilities keeping them from having broken any bones thanks to the spectacular fall. They slowly rose to their feet, circling each other.

"Connor." Angel tried. "_Connor_."

_Don't listen to his lies_, Connor steeled himself against the look on the vampire's face. _Don't listen to him. Don't let him fool you again. He'll say all the things you want to hear---he'll use all your weaknesses against you. Don't __**listen**__._

With those thoughts in mind Connor charged. He kicked jabbed and elbowed Angel, his rage adding to his determination and abilities. "It's all about the balance." He threw back the words Angel had used on him that very day in practice. "You lose it—you _lose_."

He threw Angel away from him, the strength in the blow sending the vampire face first into the sand. The young man rushed towards him and kicked Angel, causing him to twirl from the force.

"Easy!" Angel cried out as he got to his feet. He waited and grabbed Connor as he tried to punch him. "Talk to me. _Talk to me_, okay?"

Connor tried to struggle as Angel suddenly had his arms secured behind him. He then realized that what he lacked in strength he'd have to make up in other attributes. "Okay."

Angel let him go.

Connor shook his off, walked a few steps away, and reached into his pants pocket, pulling out the device Justine had given him for such a time as this. With the tazer in his hand he twirled and pressed it against Angel's forehead, the electricity blue and visible as it shook the vampire and caused him to fall down into the shallow water in the beach.

The young man threw himself at Angel and began to hit him until in the blink of an eye Angel had gotten the upper hand and was somehow straddling him, holding him down under the water.

_Your father's a monster._ Holtz' voice rang through his head. _I saved you from him, Steven my son. He is a demon with an angelic face who enjoys fooling people into believing good of him before killing him._

With a strength he didn't know he had, Connor pushed Angel off of him and stood to his feet, both of them facing each other.

"I don't know what the hell's wrong with you, but you're gonna talk!" Angel growled at him, frustration and anger in his voice.

Anger filled Connor. How could Angel _still_ pretend innocence? Did he enjoy the mental torment this much?

_He and Darla would play with their victims before killing them._ Holtz' voice was once more in their head. _Sometimes they would play the concerned citizens, even the saviors. But most of the time they just preferred to revel in the fear of their prey._

When Angel made a move for Connor he was ready, and the young man did two things so fast even _he_ didn't see when he'd grabbed the knife from his belt and buried it into Angel's side—and then he tazered the vampire once more in the face.

Angel cried out and collapsed to his knees.

Connor continued to tazer the creature until he collapsed, unconscious on the wet sand.

Tired, panting, Connor waddled a little deeper into the water and pulled out a small flashlight from where he'd had it in the back of his jeans' waist. Turning it on he flashed it at the boat waiting offshore.

The boat where Justine was waiting for him so they could finish this.

When the lights on the boat flashed, Connor took in a deep breath and turned to look at Angel's unconscious form.

"I won't kill you, but you won't be able to hurt anyone else _ever_ again." He glared at the creature who'd killed countless in cold-blood, including his adoptive father. "I promise you that."

They got Angel onto the boat and went out into the sea. It seemed like eternity passed on the darkness of the water before they finally decided on a place.

They placed Angel in the steel casket, bound him securely so that he'd never be able to escape, and Justine went to check on something while Connor finished adding more bolts to make _sure_ Angel would never be able to leave.

"_Connor_?" Angel whispered, groggily.

Connor froze for a second, hating himself for that moment of vulnerability before he hardened himself and looked down at the thing that'd fathered him.

"_Why are you doing this?_"

Why was Angel still playing with him? _WHY_? "You murdered my father."

"No, I didn't." The vampire quickly responded, shaking his head. "I swear."

"He's lying." Justine sneered in disgust as she appeared on the other side of the steel casket.

Angel's nostrils flared when he saw her. "I'm _not_ lying, and she knows it!"

"You're the _prince_ of lies." Connor repeated something Holtz had taught him since childhood.

"That's why you wouldn't let them kill me at the drive-in." Angel suddenly realized, struggling against his steel-wire bounds in vain. "So _you_ could."

"Killing is too good for you." Connor replied, looking deep into Angel's eyes. "You don't get to die. You get to live…_forever_."

There was silence for a while after that as Connor put the finishing touches to the casket.

"Someday you'll learn the truth," Angel told him. "And you'll hate yourself."

_I already hate myself_. Connor looked down at what he was doing. _I hate myself because I fell for your lies, I let my guard down around you, I betrayed my father and because of __**me**__ you murdered him. If I hadn't trusted you enough to let you know he was here my father would still be alive!_

"When that time comes, _don't_." The vampire continued. "It's not your fault."

Connor closed his eyes for a second, his clenched fist shaking. He felt horrified to feel the burn behind his eyes that signaled the fact that he wanted to _cry_.

Why should he want to cry? He was finally doing _justice_!

"I don't blame you." Angel whispered.

"_Liar!_" Connor snapped out, barely able to keep all the pain and despair under control. _Just a couple of minutes and this will all be over._

"_Listen to me_!" Angel cried out as Connor and Justine went to get the heavy cover. "I _love_ you! Never forget that."

Connor closed her eyes tightly, not allowing those lies to sway him. They were only the words of a desperate demon.

"Connor! _Connor_!" Angel continued to speak rapidly as Connor and Justine placed the lid on the coffin, slowly pushing it into place. "Never forget that I'm your father and that I love you."

The lid slid into place, and Justine and Connor slid the deadbolt sides closed, locking Angel within his steel coffin.

The young man looked into the face of the vampire through the small square of unbreakable glass situated in front of his face. He knew he was crying, he knew that he was showing the monster his weakness, and yet he couldn't stop.

His heart was broken and yet he was doing the right thing.

_After this the world will be a safer place._

With a fire-torch Justine melded the lid and the casket together so that it would be unmovable, and then, with a nod, they slid the casket off of the ramp and into the vast sea.

For a moment it floated, and then it sunk beneath the black waters, hopefully to never rise again.

As Connor shared a smirk with Justine, he wondered why his victory felt so empty.

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_CHLOE!_

Gasping awake, Chloe jolted into a sitting position in bed, feeling her heart racing a thousand miles per second and her body covered in sweat.

She looked around the dark room, trying to remember the nightmare she'd had but all she could remember was blackness and the feeling of claustrophobia and then Angel's voice screaming her name in her head.

"_Weird_." Sighing, the blonde got out of bed and grabbed her housecoat before leaving her room and going to the one next to hers---to Angels. He wasn't there but it wasn't a surprise. Many nights the vampire who tried to keep human hours would be unable to sleep and would instead go out to do things by himself…like patrolling.

_He's going to get himself in trouble one of these nights_.

Shaking her head, Chloe checked Fred's room, smirking when she saw that Gunn had spent the night and was snoring _loudly_.

Giggling, the blonde was about to check on Lorne but paused when she realized that he was gone. _God_, it was going to be so hard for her to get used to the thought of her favorite green demon not being in the hotel with her. She'd gotten so used to having him at hand whenever she needed to talk to someone about something she couldn't share with the others.

_I wonder if he's in Vegas yet_.

Sighing she made her way to the last room with someone in it and peeked in, leaning her head against the doorframe as she watched Connor sprawled out in the bed, sheets kicked off to around his knees and wearing only the boxers she'd bought for him.

In sleep all anger and wariness had left Connor, leaving him with a smooth, youthful and handsome face---and a body any eighteen year old would _die_ for.

_I can see why Angelus liked watching his victims while they slept. The illicit thrill of the act and the risk of getting caught are a complete turn on_.

Shaking her head at that thought, Chloe sighed as she went back to bed and forced herself to sleep, not understanding why she continuously had nightmares of drowning and of fish.

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**yay! Finished it but hurricane paloma is hitting us so we have no internet so I can't post it. Bummer. Will post it when I can.**

Update! WE SURVIVED PALOMA AND THE INTERNET IS BACK ON!

**REVIEW?**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own Smallville or Angel.**

_I'm so glad that everyone is really getting into the chlonnor—even those who'd been hesitant about the pairing at first. I'm continuing like this during the 'in between season 3 and 4' so you can see Connor and Chloe's relationship progress. It will probably be two more chapters before I'll start off with Season 4 of Angel and all the delicious drama._

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By noon the next day Chloe was getting nervous. Angel had _yet_ to show up or get into contact with them, and Chloe knew that while the vampire was very out of touch with technology and barely knew enough to answer his cellular she was sure that he would have gotten word to her long before now to let her know he was fine.

Gunn and Fred went out to check up on Anne, a friend of theirs who owned a home for street kids. The pretty young blonde had called them saying that some of the kids had noticed something odd with the vampires in the area the night before, so Gunn and Fred had gone to check up on that.

Maybe this had something to do with the mysterious phone call Angel had gotten late last night and might explain where the vampire was and why he was too busy to get into contact with them.

"Phew! It's been so long since I've had time to do my favorite pastime!" Cordelia grinned as she returned to the Hyperion with Connor, Chloe, and a couple of bags of clothes. "Isn't shopping the most _calming_ therapy?"

Connor collapsed on the sofa and pulled one of the bags onto his lap, browsing through the shirts and socks they'd bought during their long visit to the mall. "I never knew that there was so much _apparel_ available with just a swipe of that little piece of plastic. In _Quor'toth_ we made our own with the skin of our kill."

Cordelia made a face. "Will try to repress _that_ 'ick' factor."

Chloe dropped the bags she was carrying and looked at her friend. Ever since she'd arrived that morning Cordelia had been a little _off_, but then the former Sunnydale high school queen usually did revert to her former self when there was shopping in the equation.

Grinning and shaking her head, Chloe decided to stop worrying about everything and instead enjoy the experience. She turned to Connor. "Do you want to change into some of the new stuff we got you?"

He looked up and grinned at her in childish excitement. "Yes."

"Here, take. My bags are the ones with the pants and sweats." Offering him the bags she'd been carrying, Chloe grinned when Connor found the strength to take _every_ bag from her and Cordelia, add them to the ones he'd already being carrying, and hurried up the stairs to his room.

"And I thought I was the only one who became excited with the prospect of new clothes." Cordelia watched him going with a tender, amused smile on her face. She suddenly sighed. "We've got a lot of work to do, Chlo. He's missed out on _so much_ thanks to that idiot Holtz."

Chloe tore her gaze from where Connor had disappeared and turned to Cordelia, face serious as she nodded. "I know, I was thinking that last night. Connor didn't have a childhood, didn't have the warmth of a family. I don't care if Holtz raised him like his son, anyone can _look_ at Holtz and know he's not exactly a _loving_ person."

"Exactly. It's up to us to try to make up for all the emotional damage that man did to our boy." Cordelia collapsed on the sofa and beckoned Chloe to sit next to her. "Connor still doesn't trust Angel completely, it's obvious and don't try deny it."

"I'm not."

"Good." The brunette shook her head, smile in place. "But the people he seems calmest around are yours truly and yourself---especially yourself. Then again, that shouldn't be surprising since he always had a special love for you as a baby."

Chloe kicked off her shoes and wiggled her toes experimentally.

"So it's up to the both of us to make him feel at home, _normal_, and an integral part of our family." Stretching and yawning, Cordelia looked tired but satisfied. "We're all going to be a family again, just like we should have been before Holtz came and ruined everything."

"At least," Chloe paused. "At least he was decent enough to leave Connor with us after her realized that Connor belongs beside his real father."

"After robbing us of eighteen years of his life _nothing_ that bastard could do would make me feel anything but hatred and bitterness towards him."

Hearing something at the top of the stairs, Chloe looked up and blinked when she saw Connor. He was wearing jeans and a loose long-sleeve shirt that was designed to look like one shirt over the other, and it had a black dragon on the front.

"Wow."

Cordelia raised an eyebrow at that and followed Chloe's gaze to Connor, her face breaking out into a smile as he descended the stairs. "Don't _you_ look handsome."

His expression was a little embarrassed as he came to stand in front of them. "It is different than what I am used to."

"You look _great_," Cordelia assured before turning to Chloe. "Doesn't he look great?"

"Very handsome." Chloe somehow managed to squeak out before looking away, scolding herself for her reactions to him. _Honestly_, you'd think that she'd never been around a hot guy before, when, in fact, she was constantly surrounded by male eye-candy.

Cordelia began talking about something and Chloe took the opportunity to sneak a peak in Connor's direction, eyes widening and blushing when he caught her. Well, truth be told he'd already been watching her with a surprised and yet pleased/smug expression on his face.

"And so when I was talking with Willow on the phone she goes----I'm having a vision."

Chloe turned to Cordelia and frowned. "Willow has visions?"

"No." Cordelia looked ahead of her with a frown. "_I'm_ having a vision." Getting up she seemed to be following something the others couldn't see, crisscrossing over the floor before suddenly craning her neck a if trying to take a peek at something before her eyes went wide and she screamed.

In seconds Chloe and Connor were by Cordelia's side and the brunette was making a face.

"Okay, that has got to be _the_ ugliest thing _ever_!" Cordelia sneered in disgust, shaking her head before looking at the two younger people watching her expectantly. "Okay, it's nothing like I've ever seen before. Demon—obviously. Large, green with purple streaks on its face and stomach. It's going towards a day care center on Fifth and Ninth."

"I know the place." Chloe was already putting her shoes on. "I'm going to go and try stop it—or at least detain it enough for when backup comes. Keep calling Angel. And call Gunn."

"Already on it." Cordelia was halfway towards the phone.

"Good." Chloe, sneakers back one, hurried towards the weapon's closet.

"I am coming with you." Connor was by her side in seconds, reaching past her for the sword Angel liked to use.

"No, it's too dan---." Chloe stopped in mid-speech and turned to Connor, grinning slightly. "What am I saying? You grew up in a Hell Dimension. Not only that, _monsters_ fear you and call you the _Destroyer_." Grabbing the sais Angel had had commissioned for her, she grabbed Connor's arm. "You're coming with me."

They hurried out of the Hyperion, Cordelia smiling at their backs as she tried calling Angel again.

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"Are you guys okay?" Cordelia asked as they finally arrived back at the Hyprion hours later, covered in purple blood and clothes slightly shredded.

"Yeah." Chloe nodded, collapsing on the ground in a tired heap. "I take it you couldn't get through to the others?"

Connor grinned, feeling the rush he always got when he slayed a demon. It was an addictive feeling, one he'd always cherished, and yet this fight had been different, more fulfilling. It'd been his first hunt with Chloe, and while her technique could use with improving she'd been fascinating to watch.

The girl was a lot of mouth and annoyed the demon as much as she'd confused it with her tasteful puns and sarcasm, allowing Connor to have the advantage over the distracted creature more than once. They were a little shaky on the synchronization and such, but with practice they'd become an unstoppable team.

With each passing moment Connor grew more fascinated with her.

"I got through to Gunn a little after you left." Cordelia made a face at the goo covering the two young adults. Honestly, females were always so easily disgusted. "But he and Fred were a little busy at the time. Apparently they'd gone to check out the nest of these vampires with the kids from the Hood and were in the middle of battle themselves."

"Oh my god, are they alright?" Chloe asked, looking up from where she'd been combing her fingers through her hair trying to get the larger chunks of the creature's clotted blood out of it.

"Yeah, they called about five minutes before you two walked in." Cordelia sighed. "They're helping the others go through some things the vampires had in their nest."

"Was Angel with them? Was that why he didn't come to help us?" Connor asked, feeling a little guilty for such blatant lying and deceptive innocence, but if he was going to pull off this without giving away that he knew what'd happened to the vampire and that _he_ had done it, well, the deception would have to continue.

"No." Cordelia pouted slightly, looking a little worried. "I haven't been able to get through to him at _all_ on his cellular, but you know, that would mean something if he actually _knew how to use it_!"

Chloe smiled slightly at herself and Connor smiled at how pretty she looked, even when she was bruised and covered in sticky demon blood.

"Look, why don't you two get bathed? No offense or anything, but you _stink_." Cordelia made up her nose, heading towards the receptionist's desk. "I'm going to call and order pizza or something for all of us. Gunn and Fred said they should be here in around half an hour and you know how ravenous Fred is even _without_ a fight."

Connor didn't know about this, but Chloe just giggled, so he remained silent and helped the blonde off of the floor, enjoying the feel of her hand in his and feeling a little hurt when she quickly pulled hers from his the moment she was standing.

"Well, let's go bathe…" Her eyes went wide. "I mean, uhm, not _together_ or anything." Chloe looked away, face reddening. "In our own separate bathrooms. You in yours and me in mine. Apart."

With a groan the blonde dashed up the stairs and Connor turned, watching her as she fled up the steps and hurried down the hall to her room, where the sound of a door slamming could be heard.

The young man grinned slightly as he watched her hurry away. Like this morning when she'd seen him in his new apparel, Chloe's scent had spiked instantly, _deliciously_. And apparently something about him and bathrooms appealed to her.

"You know, if you're going to try something, I feel that it's unfair to let you do so without a little piece of advice." Cordelia announced as she twirled the phone in her hand, looking slightly amused. "First of all, you might want to rethink your _obvious_ attraction for her."

Connor turned to look at the older woman, face blank. While this human female was the only one other than Chloe with whom he felt relatively at ease with, he wasn't going to allow her to interfere with him or his plans.

"Not that I don't applaud your taste in women because Chloe's the best out there." Cordelia put down the receiver and leaned against the desk. "It's just that I don't know if that's the best way to be getting back with your dad. I mean," she paused. "There _is_ romantic history between those two, and even if there's nothing anymore it'd probably make things uncomfortable between everyone."

"Romantic…_history_?" Connor felt every muscle inside of him freeze up at those two words.

Cordelia's eyes went wide. "Well, uh, not between Chloe and _Angel_, per se, but between her and _Angelus_." She was suddenly looking uncomfortable, as if only now had she realized what an uncomfortable conversation she'd just gotten herself into. "I don't know how much Chloe's told you, but when Angelus sired her and made her his Favored, things were pretty _intense_ between them."

There was something cold and hard clawing inside his chest, and yet not one muscle shifted in his face to betray his feelings as Connor stood still, listening. He needed this information.

"Yeah, you'd think that they're pretty close now, and they are, but it isn't like the way they were when he was Angelus." Cordelia finally found the floor interesting. "Just a example? He nearly ended the world because he wasn't the center of her universe."

Connor was silent as he continued to listen. He'd heard stories of Sires taking their favorite Childer as lovers, and yet he naively hadn't believed that things had gone that far between Angel and Chloe.

"So, you know, I'd talk to Angel about it before you do anything." Cordelia announced, sounding very uncomfortable. "I know that even if Chloe likes you, she probably wouldn't act on it if she thought Angel would disapprove or it'd make him uncomfortable. So, talk to your father, okay?"

"Sure." Connor nodded his head, a small smile playing on his lips. "I'll talk to him as soon he gets back."

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"I don't see why you're so worried."

"You _don't_?" Chloe made a face as she laid in bed, hair in a towel, body wrapped in a housecoat, frowned as she talked into her cellular. "Wesley, Angel didn't make it in last night and he hasn't shown up all day. Cordelia had a vision, and Connor and _I_ had to go and fight the bad guy."

"Are you two alright?" He asked, voice tinted with worry. "And where was Gunn?"

"He was out battling a nest of vampires with some others." Chloe dismissed that quickly. "And, yes, we're fine. Connor did _amazingly_." She paused before continuing. "All I'm saying is that we had two major crisis and Angel wasn't even around. That's not like him. He's at least try to get a word to us so we're know that he's okay."

"Yes, at least to you or Fred." Wesley agreed with a sigh. "Give it another day, Chloe. Something might have come up and he had to leave immediately to help---like maybe in Sunnydale."

The blonde frowned because that was probably the case. When it came to little miss Buffy Summers Angel forgot to use his head and never acted sanely. "You're right."

"Still, if you haven't heard from him by tomorrow call Sunnydale yourself and see if they've heard anything about him, okay?"

"God, you know I hate doing that." Chloe muttered. The only real _friend_ she'd had still in Sunnydale had been Faith, who'd been in a coma. As soon as the Slayer had come out of the coma months before she'd left Sunnydale, saying two slayers were too much, and had spent a few days in L.A. catching up with Chloe and Wes before leaving to tour the states and find her own place in the world.

"I'm sure you still have Willow's number."

"Cordy does." Chloe suddenly perked. "I'll get _her_ to call."

"See?" Wesley sounded like he was smiling. "Now, go eat, spend time with everyone, and stop worrying, okay?"

"Okay." She wanted to mention Connor to tell Wesley more about what he was like, but when she'd mentioned that the babe had come back a man Wesley hadn't wanted to hear more…and she'd respected that. "Talk to you later."

"Later."

Hanging up the phone, Chloe hurried to put on some clothes and join the others below.

Everything was going to be alright.

If Angel didn't show up by tomorrow she'd get Cordy to call Sunnydale.

There was no where else he could be.

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**An update…review?**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I don't own Smallville or Buffy or Angel.**

_Wanna thanks __**moonstarsfu, Kotory, Lea1286, akka, Hikari Sakura chan, summergirlforever, Stephycats7785, chounette26, Katie, Yume142, The Great and Powerful Oz, noe224evr**__ and __**Veronica**__for reviewing the last chapter!_

Sorry it's taken so long to update.

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Twirling the sais in her hands, Chloe sensed movement behind her and turned, shifting her hold on the weapons to throw one at the demon attacking Cordelia, and with the other she stabbed the demon who'd been sneaking up on her in its throat.

The big-eyed, bug-looking creature opened its mouth in an inaudible cry as she twisted the blade, its cold red blood flowing down the steel to her hand and down her arm. She did it slowly, cruelly, angrily. She needed _someway_ to vent her anger, frustration and fear, and what better way than with these huge creatures that'd attacked the local hospital intent on eating all the newborn?

Pulling the sais out of the creature's throat with a violent jerk, Chloe watched as the dead thing collapsed to the ground. Green eyes surveyed the room and she noticed with slight anger that they'd managed to kill the creatures, whose bodies were disintegrating before their eyes into nothing.

"_Eeew_." Cordelia made a face as she looked up from the creature Chloe had killed, reluctantly pulling the sais from its corpse. "So gross."

Green eyes closed as Chloe placed a hand to her forehead, feeling faint but fighting it with all she had. Almost two months had passed since Angel's disappearance. Two months since anyone had heard a word from him. Two months since they hadn't been able to track down Spike or Drusilla.

Two months since she'd fed.

She'd never gone this long without blood, and Chloe was feeling the drain horribly. She was violent and angry, her body in pain, so hungry she wanted to rip everything and everyone apart. She was also dizzy, weak, and scared.

She knew everyone was worried sick about her. Cordelia and Gunn had even moved into the Hyperion, one to help Connor protect the females while Angel was gone, and the other to help Fred take care of Chloe the nights she burnt up with fever and hallucinations due to the withdrawals her body was suffering.

It was only when she was fighting that she wasn't weak and in pain, and that was because the demon that fused with her soul during her siring lashed out in anger and in bloodlust. With each kill she grew angrier, seeing all that blood and knowing that it wasn't any good for her.

And now, like always when the fighting ended, the demon, weakened, returned to being submissive and left Chloe feeling weaker than she'd already been.

_Please, God, if You exist, help Wesley find Angel soon_. _I don't know how much more of this I can take._

She felt the sais in her hand clatter on the ground before her knees gave out, and yet she didn't hit the ground. Warm arms encircled her as her world tilted dangerously, and suddenly she was held up against a strong chest like a child, in his arms, breathing in that now oh-so-familiar and comforting scent.

_Connor_.

Clutching at his shirt weakly, Chloe closed her eyes and leaned her cheek against his shirt, confident that she was okay now.

She could hear the other's voices around her, rapid, worried, but they were all being drowned out by the sound of Connor's heartbeat.

The blonde didn't question where he was taking her as the young man hurried out with her at an unnatural speed, she trusted him. Ever since Angel had disappeared Connor had slowly become her rock, her anchor, and like in moments like this, he became her only link to consciousness.

Maybe it was the fact that he was Angel's son, that he treated her similarly to how Angel treated her, she didn't know the reason, but she felt safe with Connor. She trusted him so much.

"You're going to drink. _Now_." Connor's voice was hard, harsh. "Even if I have to _force_ you to!"

Chloe tried to open her eyes but she was so _tired_. Drink what? She wasn't thirsty. She just wanted to lay down and sleep forever---or until Wesley's search turned up Angel---or Spike. At this moment she wasn't going to be picky.

In moments she was being lowered to a bed, and Chloe recognized the scent ingrained in the sheets.

_Connor_.

Forcing her eyes open, the blonde looked around the room, realizing that they were back in the Hyperion, and Connor had taken her to his room.

"Connor?" She whispered, confused.

Why hadn't he taken her to her room?

Those green eyes widened when she returned her gaze to Connor and found him pulling off his shirt, leaving his chest bare to her inspection. Somehow she found enough blood to blush scarlet as she watched him stalking towards the bed and sitting down. A gasp escaped her lips when he reached forwards and pulled her onto him so that she was shamelessly straddling his lap intimately, chest slightly pressed to his.

All of a sudden she was so dizzy and _aware_.

"_Connor_?" She whispered, breath coming out rapidly, shocked, confused.

"_Drink_." Unlike the other many times in which he'd tried to get her to drink from him in the past this time Connor wasn't asking, wasn't begging, wasn't trying to convince her that it was the only option she had. This time his voice was dark and commanding, he wasn't going to back out of this argument.

"I _can't_." She whimpered, closing her eyes and leaning her forehead against his shoulder, breathing in his scent, so _tempted_.

"I'm not _asking_ you." Connor snapped, his hands going to her hips, fingers digging painfully into her skin. "You are going to _drink_ of your own will or I'll _force_ you to. I won't let you die!"

A shiver raced down her spine. Connor had never acted like this before, especially never this forward. With her he was so shy, so childlike in his naivety, and she doubted that he'd realized what an intimate position they were right now.

"_Connor_."

His fingers dug in deeper. "Drink!"

Chloe closed her eyes tightly against the pain. She knew that this was why Connor had put them in this exact position, she was too weak to fight and she wouldn't be able to get off, to get away until he let her.

_Bully_, she thought affectionately.

"I can't drink your blood." She whispered, so _tired_. "You're _human_. It'd _kill_ me."

"No it won't. I have Angel's blood in my veins. And I have _yours_ too." Connor spat out. "You fed my mother when I was in her. I _know_ that my blood will be good for you, even _better_ than _Angel's_!"

She contributed the anger in his voice to his worry. And she also thought about what he'd said. It---was _true_. Angel had both Angel and Darla's blood in his veins, and even had a little of hers mixed in.

It---it could be plausible.

It---it might work.

"My father was your sire." Connor continued, his voice harsh as if he were still battling. "With him gone by vampiric law _I_ am now your Alpha, and you _will_ obey me."

Chloe's eyes widened as something inside of her, the demon that would leap at whatever Angel told her to do, awoke once more at those words. Was that---was _that_ the reason why she'd turned to Connor after Angel's disappearance? Because her demon had known that Connor was now her Alpha?

Those fingers dug in _harder_. "_Drink_!"

As if of their own accord Chloe felt her fangs growing, and in seconds she'd dug them deep into the vein in Connor's neck. The first taste of his blood against her tongue caused something to explode inside of her. This---this was unlike anything she'd _ever_ tasted. It was _heaven_.

A whimper escaped her as she fed slowly, warming, tingling. She wanted to pull out, wanted to stop, didn't want to hurt Connor, didn't want to drain him from her immense hunger---but she couldn't stop.

That was one of the reasons why she'd avoided drinking from him until now. She'd been so terrified that in her hunger she'd drain him dry and kill him, and if she killed him---she felt she'd die.

Connor whimpered slightly, the fingers he'd dug painfully into her hips pulled out slightly and began to knead her flesh as if on instinct, soothing the pain he'd caused her, tilting his neck slightly and giving her better access.

A purr escaped Chloe's lips and her hands somehow found their way to Connor's eternally messy hair, fingers burying themselves into the dark silk as she ran her fingertips over his skull, enjoying the softness of his hair.

Connor groaned something out in one of the many demon languages he'd learnt while in _Quor'toth_ and his hands trailed up harshly from her hips up her back, under her shirt, short nails scraping slightly against skin before he embraced her, pulling her tighter against him.

Chloe was too far gone to notice what she was doing, too drunk on the ambrosia that was Connor's blood to notice that she was bucking wantonly against him. As always when she fed she felt desire burning inside of her, but unlike other times she couldn't control herself, didn't think of controlling her actions, wasn't sure that she would've been able to if she _tried_.

She felt something inside of her changing slightly, Connor's blood doing things inside of her that not even Angel's had ever been able to do.

"_Chloe_?" Connor's voice as hoarse, husky, and confused with childlike innocence---and that was what brought her back to her senses.

Eyes flying open, Chloe froze, shame and embarrassment causing her cheeks to flood red.

She'd just accosted Angel's son---_again_!

What had she _done_?

She'd realized that despite how handsome and amazing he was, Connor had had virtually _no_ contact with females in general while in _Quor'toth_. He was unbelievably childlike in his innocence when it came to seduction, or attraction, or anything that had to do with the female gender.

She'd found that sweet and had decided to help him preserve that innocence she so wished she could have, and yet here she was corrupting it! Why was it that while she wanted to try and help him maintain his childlike naivety, help him have a childhood he hadn't had, _she_ was the one who'd kissed him and thrown herself on him?!?

"What does my blood taste like?"

All her worries, all her fears of having traumatized him vanished in an instance as she pressed her forehead against his shoulder and smiled into his skin.

"Would you get freaked if I said it's the best thing I've ever tasted?" She whispered, and anyone else would never have heard her words, but she knew that Connor, with his vampiric abilities, would.

There was a moment of tense silence before the arms she only now realized he had around her tightened slightly and he rested his cheek down against the crown of her head.

A sigh of pure contentment escaped her lips as she closed her eyes and breathed in his scent, lowering her hands from his hair, down his chest, to loop loosely around his waist.

Despite having been fed she was so _tired_, and felt so contented, so _safe_, that she felt herself drifting off into sleep in Connor's arms, still somehow straddling him, but this time despite the position it wasn't sensual. It was _comforting_. It was _right_.

She was halfway in the land of the sleeping when she felt him carefully lower her back to the bed and pull the sheets over her. For some reason she wanted to reach out and hold his hand, to ask him to stay with her until she went completely to sleep, but then the sheet lifted again and the section of the bed behind her dipped.

And then there was heat behind her as Connor laid down, making sure the sheet was securely around them both to their chins.

With any other man Chloe would have been worried, wary, but not with Connor. She knew he wasn't going to try anything with her---it wouldn't even cross his mind. She was safer with him than with anyone else.

There was slight hesitation before she felt his arm go around her from behind, pulling her carefully back against him. She felt his breath against the back of her neck, and smiled as he curled around her as innocent as a child with its mother.

He didn't take advantage of her weak state, didn't place his hands anywhere inappropriate, he just rested alongside her.

And she was falling in love with him more and more with each passing second.

_Oh Chloe. Why is it that you always fall for the ones that can never be yours_?

Sighing, the blonde let go of her thoughts and just enjoyed the feeling, falling to sleep with a smile on her face.

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Wesley Wyndam-Pryce was on a mission.

So far it was a failing mission, but he was still on it nonetheless.

Putting down the phone, Wesley looked towards the closet that held the secret room in which he had the lovely yet traitorous Justine locked in. Sometimes it bothered him how uncaring he was at the fact that he'd kidnapped and was holding hostage a woman, but then he'd remembered _who_ it was and he wouldn't give a damn.

Justine had done a lot of bad things, and when Chloe had called him two months ago worried about Angel's disappearance he'd suspected immediately that the redhead had something to do with the whole thing. And he'd been right.

A week after her capture Justine had caved in and told the whole truth, leaving Wesley surprised shocked. _Connor_ had been a part of this ruse. Of course, he knew that both Justine and Holtz had tricked the young man, but _still_, he'd sent Angel in a coffin down to the bottom of the _sea_.

At first Wesley had wanted to tell Chloe everything immediately, but when he'd gone to see her to tell her things to her face he'd come upon her and Connor and had been shocked. He'd been hidden from their view, watching how she tried to look brave despite the fact that her eyes betrayed that she'd been crying. But that wasn't the thing that'd shocked him.

No, what'd shocked Wesley was the way Connor was looking at the blonde. The young man had had his arm comfortingly around her shoulder, his blue eyes pained as he looked at her suffering. He looked like he'd do _anything_ to see the tears gone from Chloe's face---and Wesley had turned around and left.

It was Wesley's fault that Connor had been kidnapped and taken from his family, had been raised like a warrior, hadn't had a childhood---hadn't had the opportunity to know what love was---much less experience it.

And he wasn't going to take everything away from the boy again.

He _wouldn't_.

So that was why he'd kept silent and kept searching for Angel on his own. He didn't know what'd happen once he found the vampire, it wasn't as if they were on the best terms anyway, but he knew that he had to do this for the friendship they'd once had, and for Chloe. When everyone else had turned their backs on him Chloe had been by his side and he'd do _anything_ for her.

_'I drank his blood, Wes. He forced me to and I drank it and it was better than Angel's_.' Chloe's confused voice echoed in his head. '_I just woke up, and I---I feel better, stronger than I ever did after drinking from Angel. Why---why __**is**__ that, Wes?'_

Wesley had no _idea_.

Things had always been hard to understand or predict with Chloe because of what she was. She was a human with a soul who'd successfully fused with a demon and become something unheard of, unknown, of neither race, of a race of her own.

And now there was Connor, yet _another_ anomaly, _a different_ human-vampire hybrid---a nearly fully developed _male_ hybrid of Chloe's family. Due to his bloodline he had superiority even though Chloe had been created before him, and apparently he'd realized this and was already using his rank over her and she'd responded _submissively_.

Wesley frowned, running his hand over his face.

Chloe wasn't someone submissive in the least bit, not even with Angel (though she'd been known to be somewhat submissive with Angelus, though she'd admitted that she'd only done so out of fear), so the fact that she'd obeyed Connor immediately without hesitation both surprised and worried Wesley.

And _his_ blood made her feel better than _Angel's_, her _sire's_? That was unheard of and supposedly impossible.

He was going to have to look this up.

Something was happening here and they needed to be prepared for whatever it was when it happened.

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Connor smiled as he watched Chloe laughing with Fred and Cordelia. He hadn't seen her this alive, this _vibrant_ for months, and he wished he'd just forced her to drink from him before. It'd _killed_ him to see her withering and dying so slowly before his very eyes, and yesterday he'd had enough of it.

His hand went to his neck, which was a little sore, and his fingers touched the slightly puffed and swollen puncture marks and shivered at the electric shock that raced down his body. He'd thought that being bitten by a vampire was a horrible sensation, his father had told him of the agony, and yet when Chloe's fangs had pierced his skin there'd been a second of pain and then it'd been pleasure and bliss and _torture_ as he'd wanted to touch her.

He—he wasn't used to these feelings. Connor had never felt anything similar for anyone before Chloe, and to be truthful his reactions to her frightened him. He never knew if he was doing the right thing or if he was making a fool of himself showing her how inexperienced he was.

Show him something threatening Chloe and he'd annihilate it right away without any hesitation, but in these matters he was as stupid as a baby.

A growl of pure frustration escaped his lips.

What must she think of him?

She'd been Angelus' lover. She'd been with a vampire who'd had centuries of seductive knowledge at his fingertips. Compared to that Connor must seem like such a _child_ to her, so unknowledgeable, so _naïve_, so _undeserving_ of her attention, of her interest.

During these last two months he'd done his best to take Angel's place in the group, in her life. He was the best fighter, the _lead_ fighter, he took care of Chloe, made sure she ate, slept well, that she was taken care of, that she was okay, and now that he'd finally gotten her to drink his blood he had a feeling that things would _finally_ be okay.

Since Angel was his father the Hyperion was _his_, so he provided food, a house, _blood_, companionship, _everything_ for Chloe. He took the jobs with the others and they were slowly beginning to concentrate more on the jobs than searching for Angel---although everyone was adamant on searching for the vampire.

Connor didn't understand it.

Why did they want the vampire back?

Did he have them all fooled?

Or were these humans privy to the darkness and enjoyed it?

"You look troubled."

Connor jerked in surprise and noticed that Chloe was standing in front of him. "I—I am well."

"Are you sure?" She asked, worried.

"Yes." He smiled slightly. "Are _you_ well?"

"Better than ever." Chloe smiled brightly. "Thanks to you."

That part of his chest that stirred whenever she smiled warmed up, and Connor wanted to reach out and push that shock of hair out of her face and behind her ear but he didn't dare. He'd go up against the ugliest and evilest of creatures, but the thought of touching Chloe terrified him.

What if he did something wrong?

Or did something she didn't want him to?

What was he supposed to do?

He wanted her, he _needed_ her, but he didn't know what to do for that to happen and he didn't have anyone he could ask. There was no one he trusted here other than Chloe, and he wasn't about to ask _her_.

_I will find a way_. He continued to smile at her as Chloe started talking excitedly. _I just have to prove to her that I am the best candidate for her mate, that I am strong and will protect her, provide for her. I will prove myself to her, and maybe, __**maybe**__, she will learn to accept my deficiency and be mine._

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**I updated! A miracle---right!?!?**

**Review?**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I do not own Smallville or Angel. I also don't own the songs mentioned here, especially not the song "So Close" by Jon McLaughlin.**

_Wanna thank __**Stephycats7785, summergirlforever, babyshan211, Hikari Sakura chan, Kotory, Lea1286, wayhott4u, Katie, moonstarsfu, akka, stsword**__ and __**David Fishwick **__for reviewing the last chapter!_

_Hey everyone! I'm back and updating quicker this time! See? Well, the next chapter should have Angel returning to the scene so yeah, the drama will begin soon!_

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Fred was conflicted.

It'd been three months since Angel's disappearance, and while everyone was beginning to wonder if they'd ever find him---if he hadn't been killed the night he'd vanished---she didn't want to give in. She didn't want to _move on_ with her life, she _didn't_!

But she could understand why they could only search for Angel during their free moments now. Wolfram and Hart had been taking advantage of Angel's disappearance and had to be fought with more vigor than usual.

_But Angel---._

A squeal and laughter brought Fred out of her thoughts and she watched the other thing that bothered her.

Connor and Chloe were training together, something that'd become normal for them, each teaching the other their own way of fighting and learning how to blend both techniques to come up with one that was purely _theirs_. When Chloe had charged Connor he'd grabbed and picked her up, throwing her over his shoulder, and now held her there, laughing as she tried to get off of him in vain.

Fred bit her bottom lip to keep from telling them to get away from each other.

Her dark gaze went on the other two occupants of the lobby of the Hyperion. Neither Gunn nor Cordelia looked bothered with this, both laughing and either taunting or cheering Chloe on. They didn't seem to see how _wrong_ this was. Training together was _Angel_ and Chloe's thing, _not_ CONNOR and Chloe's thing!

It was just _wrong_!

Fred felt like crying as she remembered watching Angel and Chloe train together. It was always the highlight of said day---other than watching the other subtle but _meaningful_ things that happened between the vampire and his childe that others would just overlook, but she _knew_ that there was still feelings between those two that only really came out while they were sparring.

They had _Kyrumption_.

Kyrupmtion was probably the only good word she'd learnt while trapped in the Pylean Hell Dimension. It was when two great heroes met on the field of battle and recognized their mutual fate…it was also a kind of grog made out of ox dung—but that was _archaic_.

"Put me down this _instance_ Connor!" Chloe's voice was a mixture of annoyance and laughter as she squirmed and kicked with her body but couldn't get loose.

"Come on Chloe!" Cordelia laughed from where she was seated next to Gunn. "Kick him harder! Come on! You can get free on your own!"

"You cannot demand your enemy release you while in the heat of battle." _Connor's_ voice was a mixture of seriousness and amusement.

"You tell her!" Gunn cheered, obviously on Connor's side.

Fred tried not to feel betrayed by Gunn's inability to see the magnitude of the _wrongness_ of what was happening.

From the beginning Connor had always been closer to Chloe, but at the time Fred hadn't thought anything of it. Then, when Angel disappeared Connor had slowly taken the place Angel had in their group, especially the place that had to do with Chloe. The young man had become protective and overly possessive with the blonde who seemed oblivious of the way his blue gaze followed her.

And now, after he'd begun feeding her his blood, things had gotten _worse_. The two had become closer and closer with each passing day, doing _everything_ together, like a team, like a unit, like--like a _couple_.

Connor had always been protective and possessive of Chloe, and yet he'd grown _territorial_ of her as well. Fred noticed it every time any other male came too close to her, looked at her too long, smiled at her in a way that wasn't strictly platonic.

And Chloe was letting him.

_Why_ was she letting him?

Whenever Angel would sometimes act like this she'd be on his case immediately, but now that Connor was doing it she didn't complain---didn't even really seem to _notice_.

Fred frowned.

Chloe couldn't---couldn't be developing any _feelings_ for Connor---_right_?

_What about Angel_?

Fred looked down at her shoes. Ever since Pylea she'd been invested in Angel and Chloe's relationship. She'd watched, half-crazy from the horrors she'd had to live through, as Angel turned into a monster that attacked all of his friends to kill them---and yet Chloe, a seemingly fragile female, stopped him.

The monster wouldn't attack the blonde, and followed her faithfully like a protective dog. It was only Chloe who could calm the beast and returned it to Angel.

Fred had watched their interaction, had seen the love in Chloe's eyes as she soothed the beast, seen those same feelings returned in the vampire's eyes---and she'd known that true love existed.

After being rescued Fred had been horrified to realize that Angel and Chloe weren't together, and she'd been adamant in trying to get them to realize their mutual love and get back together.

And yet all of this happened, and Chloe was smiling at Connor so openly, so happily---like she used to smile at Angel.

Fred closed her eyes tightly as to not see it.

_Angel! Where ARE you?!?!_

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Gunn frowned slightly as he watched Chloe.

They'd just closed Angel Investigations for the day, and she was sitting in Angel's office, running her hands over the desk and looking at the drawing of her holding baby Connor that Angel had drawn before the kidnapping.

_She does her best to make us all believe she's okay_…_but she still misses him so much._

The young man leaned against the wall and continued to watch her.

It was only moments like these, when everyone was busy and doing their own thing, that Chloe allowed herself to go to that room (or Angel's) and just let her feelings show on her face. She missed her sire terribly, she was still depressed and worried about him, and that was why Gunn tried to push her more on Connor than necessary. The younger man was the only thing that was keeping a smile on Chloe's face---a _real_ smile on Chloe's face, and Gunn didn't want to see that smile die---_ever_.

He knew that Fred didn't much like how close the two were, but Gunn really didn't see what was so wrong with their friendship. Connor was the link to Angel that Chloe obviously needed desperately, and she was the only one that the younger man really _trusted_ or felt _comfortable_ with. They did each other good, and as long as that continued to be so, Gunn was going to cheer their friendship on.

_We need to keep doing things to keep her busy so she doesn't have time to worry about Angel or what could have happened to him._

He sighed, knowing that Angel would want him to do just that. There was no one more important to Angel than Chloe and Connor, and Gunn knew that Angel would want them happy and unworried during his disappearance.

_He'd be so happy if he could see the way Connor's been smiling and laughing so much lately. The boy looks genuinely happy for the first time in his life._

A small smile curled Gunn's lips.

He suddenly blinked, an idea coming to mind. His smile grew larger as he stalked to Angel's office and threw the door open, watching as Chloe looked up, eyes wide, that façade of happiness forced on her face once more.

"Get yourself pretty, Chloe, we're going out dancing."

The blonde blinked in surprise. "Dancing?"

Gunn nodded. "There's this new place over on Fifth and I've wanted to check it out for a while now." He turned to leave. "I'm going to tell the others to get ready. No Ifs Ands or Buts."

He could have sworn she giggled.

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_Iku's_ reminded Cordelia somewhat of the _Bronze_, although this was _much_ nicer than the Sunnydale hangout had ever been. The brunette swayed slightly to the music as they all sat by a table, drinking (Connor a bit miffed that he was the only one who wasn't allowed to drink alcohol) and conversing.

Chloe had tried dragging Connor out on the dance floor half an hour ago, but the young man had gone pale and refused to set a foot near said place. Chloe'd looked disappointed but hadn't pushed the issue, instead talking animatedly with Fred about the last case Angel Investigations had had.

Cordelia frowned as she looked at Connor, who was leaning against his seat and with his arms folded over his chest, listening to Gunn talk but gaze venturing towards Chloe every couple of words as if making sure that she was still seated next to him and safe.

Honestly. He would go and fight any horrifying monster without a second's hesitation, but Chloe asks him to dance and he goes pale from _fear_?

If he really wanted to upgrade his relationship with Chloe he was going to have to do better than he was! He was sending the blonde so many mixed signals that _Cordelia_ was getting dizzy---imagine poor Chloe!

_Something needs to happen, and fast!_

Sensing movement, Cordelia looked behind Connor and smiled when she saw a tall, handsome redhead coming towards Chloe from behind. He was _all man_, built like Clark, and with a devilish grin.

_Ooh, am I psychic or WHAT?_

Her grin grew as the young man reached Chloe's chair and cleared his throat, causing everyone to turn and look at him at the same time. "I've been watching you all night."

Cordelia blinked. Okay, could anyone say _stalkerish_?

Chloe just blushed, smiling slightly. "Really?"

Connor was stiffened, eyes narrowed.

"Yeah." The redhead nodded, smile more confident. "And I notice you look at the dance floor time and time again, so you obviously want to dance." He reached out his hand. "So I'm asking you."

Chloe's blush deepened and to Cordelia's surprise, the blonde sent a sideway glance at Connor, as if waiting for him to say or do something.

Connor lowered his steely gaze, his jaw tense.

Chloe sighed softly before forcing a smile on her face and looking up at the man, sliding her hand into his. "I'd love to."

The man grinned and pulled her from her chair, and hands locked, both headed towards the dance floor.

As if sensing that he wouldn't have Connor's attention now, Gunn turned to Fred and they started talking.

Cordelia turned her attention to Connor, whose dark glare had zeroed in on Chloe and her nameless dancing partner. _Ven Mami Pegate Aqui _by Daddy Yankee was playing, the reggaeton beat lively and contagious as Chloe genuinely laughed at something the stranger said as he reached for her hips and pulled her towards him, both grinding together.

Cordelia blinked in surprise at those two. Wow. That guy worked _fast_.

Hearing the sound of glass beginning to crack, Cordelia tore her gaze from the dancers and returned it to Connor, who didn't seem to notice that the glass in his fist was beginning to break under the strength of his hold. Nope, he didn't seem to notice it at all, his eyes on the dance floor, dark and murderous.

"Why does she allow him to touch her so inappropriately?" Connor growled to himself, voice deeper than usual.

"Well, they're dancing." Cordelia announced, keeping her voice deliberately innocent. "That happens when you dance."

Connor tore his gaze from Chloe and the stranger, focusing on Cordelia instead, looking, _hesitant_. "This…_dancing_…what exactly does it _do_? What is its purpose?"

Cordelia paused, suddenly realizing that the reason Connor had looked so afraid of dancing was because he didn't even know what it was! _I have much to teach you, little grasshopper_. "Well, it's something that we like to do. You listen to music and move your body to its rhythm."

"_Why_?" Connor asked.

"Well, it makes us feel good, gets rid of a lot of stress." Cordelia pointed out, glad that Fred and Gunn were deep in their own conversation and paying any attention to them or _theirs_. "And, also, its something that couples like to do." She knew she had his complete attention right away without having to even _look_ at him. "It can be an intimate experience, kinda like the 'mating dance' that animals go through."

Connor froze, looking horrified. "M—mating dance?"

Cordelia wondered why he looked that way. "Uh, _yes_. When people are interested in another they'll ask them to dance. It's a way of checking each other's chemistry together, I know a lot of girls who turned down boys because they just didn't have the right chemistry on the dance floor." Okay, so maybe only _Harmony_ had ever done that, but Connor didn't need to know! "Also, you get to know easily if someone you like is interested in you or not that way. If the person you ask to dance with you says yes, you know they're interested, if they say _no_ you know they aren't."

By now Connor was sickly pale. "I—when she—I said no—I didn't know!"

"Connor?" Cordelia asked, a little worried now by his reaction. "Are you okay?"

"I don't understand all of your complex mating rituals!" He whispered, looking lost and so very _young_. "Has she accepted his offer of matehood by accepting his dance invitation?"

Cordelia blinked once more. Wow. This boy _really_ needed her help! "Um, _no_. She accepted the invitation because she thinks he's cute and she really wanted to dance. One thing you'll learn about Chloe is that she loves dancing." She pulled a dark strand of hair out of her face. "And just by saying yes to a dance offer doesn't mean anything serious except that you admit you have an attraction for this person or that you're willing to see how far this goes."

"How---." Connor sent her a cautious, sideways glance. "How does one _dance_?"

"Well, there are _some_ dances where you must know certain steps, but the kind of dancing done here is really easy." Cordelia offered. "As I said, you basically just move your body to the rhythm of the music. Come on, if _Angel_ can dance, _anyone_ can dance!"

"Angel danced?"

Cordelia nodded, grinning, gaze returning to Chloe. "Whenever we would go out he and Chloe would dance together all night lo---." She froze, suddenly realizing what she was saying and then returned her attention to Connor, a forced smile on her face. "But friends dance together as well! There's just a difference between friends dancing and couples dancing."

Connor was tenser than he'd been moments ago. "What is this difference?"

"Body language." Cordelia quickly pointed out. "When you're dancing with someone you like, you touch them more, look at those two over there. He's touching her hands, her hips, and they're grinding more. Now look at _that_ couple, they're just swaying to the music with inches of air between them."

She would have said more, but Connor was suddenly off of his chair and stalking towards the dance floor with sheer determination in his every step.

Leaning back against her chair, taking a sip of her Margarita, Cordelia grinned as she watched him cut into the dance, Chloe quickly smiling at him and nodding, leaving the redhead on his own as Connor led her a little further into the crowd of dancing people.

A contented sigh escaped her lips as Cordelia grinned smugly.

_Cordelia Chase, you're so good it's __**scary**__!_

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"_Relax_."

Connor didn't know how Chloe could ask such a thing of him. They'd drifted somehow towards the middle of the dance floor as a slow song he didn't recognize began playing. He felt like such an idiot. He looked around at the other couples and tried to copy what they were doing, but somehow he knew that he was doing it wrong and making a fool of himself.

"You're too _tense_." Chloe admonished, fingering the hands he had around her waist (still copying those around him) and with an unexpected tug pulled him closer to her body so that her chest was pressed against him.

Connor gulped, tensing up even more at the sudden contact.

"_Relax_ _Con_." Chloe whispered, securing his arms around her waist before trailing her hands up his arms slowly, causing him to shiver, and linking her arms around his neck. The blonde smiled up into his face. "Just look at me and don't think about anything else but the music."

He felt nervous, worried he'd step on her foot like he had a couple of minutes ago, but the young man nodded anyway, doing as she said. His blue eyes scanned her face, and when she began to move slowly to the beat of the music he just followed her movements on instinct, not even thinking as he gazed down into her green eyes.

Her lips, sparkly with something she'd put on them, curved in a smile. "You're doing _great_."

He smiled down nervously at her. "I'm worried I'll break one of your toes." He admitted, feeling foolish right away for doing so.

And yet she giggled, eyes shinning. "It'd be worth it. Anyways, _no one_ is great their first time dancing. It's like fighting, you have to be constantly practicing."

The music changed into another slow one, which was good because Connor was only now getting used to this slow dancing business.

"Oh, I love this song." Chloe whispered, closing her eyes with a soft smile and resting her cheek against his chest, above his heart with a contented sigh. "Listen to the words, it's so romantic."

Connor gulped slightly at the sudden intimacy to their proximity, but did as asked, not noticing that they were still moving in synch without anymore mishaps on his part.

_You're in my arms_

_And all the world is calm_

_The music playing on for only two_

_So close together_

_And when I'm with you_

_So close to feeling alive_

He blinked at how fitting the words the male voice crooned were. They were exactly how he felt as he tightened his hold on Chloe's waist just a little, bringing her closer, resting his cheek on the crown of her head like he'd found himself doing lately, just enjoying the feel of her heartbeat as she stayed in his arms.

He---he'd never been as happy as he was now with her. It was as his life had a meaning now other than getting rid of Angel---as if his life was _his_ only because she was with him.

_A life goes by _

_Romantic dreams will stop_

_So I bid mine goodbye and never knew_

_So close was waiting, waiting here with you_

_And now forever I know_

_All that I wanted to hold you_

_So close_

A little feeling of desperation tugged at Connor's heart at those words. What would have happened if he hadn't followed the Sluks to this world through the rips in reality to kill Angel and avenge the death of his father's family?

He'd have lived out his whole life in the hell that was _Quor'toth_, still poisoned by its anger and hatred because Chloe would have healed him.

He would have continued to fight just out of anger and desperation, because he wouldn't have joined Angel Investigations to be close to Chloe and he wouldn't have had the reason he had to fight now—to keep her safe.

He would never have known what it was like to grow to admire and then fall in love with someone because Chloe wouldn't have been there for him to love.

He would have lived a whole existence not even knowing she was somewhere out there.

The thought frightened him more than he cared to admit.

_So close to reaching that famous happy end_

_Almost believing this was not pretend_

_And now you're beside me and look how far we've come_

_So far we are so close_

And once again those words seemed to frighten him.

He was so close, so _close_ to making this work, and yet the risk of their finding Angel, or finding out his part in what'd happened threatened everything he'd built with Chloe these last three months.

What would she do if she ever found out that he was the one who'd gotten rid of her sire? Of the vampire she was so close to? Whom she might have loved?

_It doesn't matter because she'll never know!_ Connor closed his eyes tightly. _I'll continue to make sure she never knows even if I have to kill every single lead they have! Chloe can never know—she'll—she'll hate me!_

And if she hated him---he'd _die_.

_How could I face the faceless days_

_If I should lose you now?_

_We're so close_

_To reaching that famous happy end_

_And almost believing this was not pretend_

_Let's go on dreaming for we know we are_

_So close _

_So close_

_And still so far_

Connor took in a whiff of the scent of Chloe's hair and felt himself calming, as he always did whenever he was near her. He wouldn't waste this moment worrying about things that would never happen, Angel was a thing of the past, Chloe was the future.

_His_ future.

_His_.

Everything was going to be alright.

She was in his arms---how could _anything_ be wrong?

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Chloe awoke with a scream, one hand on her stomach and the other at her throat. Sweat poured down her shaking body and while she was hot she didn't kick off the sheets. Tonight had been so nice, so _magical_, and then this nightmare had had to ruin it.

_Hungry…_

_Alone…_

_CHLOE!_

Wiping at the tears streaming down her cheeks, Chloe hugged her knees to her chest and closed her eyes tightly, trying to drown the sound of Angel's voice, trying to forget the utter _hunger_, the solitude, the _desperation_ in that cry for her.

Breaking down in the middle of the night, as she did every single night, Chloe felt so frustrated, so useless, so helpless.

_Angel---where ARE you?_

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**Yay! Updated! I loved writing Connor in this chapter for some reason.**

**Oh well…review?**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I do not own Smallville or Angel. **

_Wanna thank __**Stephycats7785, Kotory, Lea1286, stsword, Yume142,**__**babyshan211**__ and __**Hikari Sakura chan**__ for reviewing the last chapter!_

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_"Here you go, darling." Lorne smiled as he passed the plate filled with delicious looking sliced turkey to an eager Fred._

_"Oh, thank you!" Fred grinned, receiving it, being careful not to brush against the lit candles on the beautifully decorated table._

_It was their first Thanksgiving dinner together as a family, and everyone had gone out of their way to make it extra special._

_"You gunna eat all that?" Gunn asked, a teasing smile on his face as his girlfriend eyed the meat ravenously._

_"Till I'm fat and happy!" Fred giggled, placing generous helpings onto her already loaded plate._

_Honestly, where did that skinny girl PUT all of her food once it was swallowed?_

_"Hmmm, these look good too!" Lorne announced, picking up a bowl of stuffed potatoes._

_"How about the stuffing?" Cordelia asked, looking proud. "Chloe showed me how to do it and I don't think it came out bad at all!"_

_"What are those?" Connor asked his side sitting at Angel's left, pointing towards one of the plates of food._

_"Sweet potato." Chloe responded from where she sat at Angel's right, passing the younger man the plate. "They're great, here, try some."_

_Connor smiled at Chloe and took the dish, though he continued to look at the things inside with a face. "Are they good?"_

_"Of course! I made them!" Chloe laughed, trying to look mock-outraged but only seemed to look cuter than she usually was._

_Connor grinned at her before placing a helping of the food on his plate._

_"Back in Pylea they used to call __**me**__ 'sweet potato." Lorne shared as Connor passed him the plate._

_Connor raised an eyebrow at that. "Really?"_

_"Yeah." Lorne nodded before admitting. "Well, the exact translation was 'fragrant tuber', but---."_

_Everyone laughed and Lorne just grinned._

_Chloe sat radiant, it seemed as if the light was focusing mostly on her, sparkling around her as she grinned and laughed and talked to everyone, telling them the secrets of her family recipes and recounting her disastrous first attempts at cooking as a child._

_Suddenly she turned to Angel, that smile he loved still curving her lips before she paused, looking worried. "You're not hungry?"_

_"I'm starving actually." He smiled, feeling better by just watching her. "I just—wanna freeze this moment. You---Connor---all of us." He smiled at his family at they smiled back at him. "We're all safe and happy, and together." He paused. "Considering what we went through over the summer."_

_Then out of the shadows, on the opposite side of the table, Wesley sat forwards from the shadows he'd been in and raised his goblet, a smile on his face. "To family."_

_Angel's smile grew as he saw Wes and raised his goblet as well. "To family." Everyone raised their goblets and toasted before returning to their own conversations._

_Chloe turned her attention back to Angel and smirked at him. "You can't toast with an empty goblet." She reached forwards and picked up a jug of cold water, filling his empty one, taking care of him as she always did._

_"It's not bad luck, is it?" Angel asked, half-worried._

_"Angel, relax." Chloe chided, that tender smile still in place. "It's over. Things are back to the way they should be, and __**nothing**__ is ever gonna break us apart again."_

_Connor smiled as he watched them._

_"And if anything tries," Chloe leaned towards him. "We'll fight it off __**together**_**, **_and we'll kick its ass."_

_Angel grinned as he leaned towards her, their faces oh-so-close, his gaze lowering to her lips before rising to meet her gaze once more. "I __**love**__ it when you talk like that."_

_Her grin turned seductive. "You love a __**lot**__ of things about me."_

_"Yes," he whispered as he closed his eyes and leaned even further, about to press his lips to hers. "I __**do**__."_

_Chloe's eyes slowly as he drew closer._

_"Do I have to watch this part?" Connor asked in mock-horror as he covered his eyes teasingly._

_Angel and Chloe turned and looked at him before Angel laughed and reached over to mess his son's hair affectionately. "I could just poke your eyes out!" _

_"Come on dad!" Connor laughed, trying to fix his hair again. "It'll stick up like yours!"_

_"You should be so lucky!" Angel laughed right back, happier than he'd ever been in his life. "Let's eat."_

_"Already way ahead of you!" Fred announced between bits of the turkey._

_Everyone other than Fred (who was already chowing down) began to hurriedly pass the food around, and no matter how hard Angel tried, he couldn't get a plate. He tried asking but no one seemed to hear him, not even Chloe._

_"Can I---Can I--?"_

_But no one was listening, everyone talking to each other, ignoring him._

_The hunger grew in his stomach as everyone complimented Chloe and Cordelia on the cooking, saying how wonderful it tasted---his pain grew worse._

_Out of desperation he jerked a plate out of Connor's hand, but once it was in his grip the food disappeared right before his very eyes. A feeling of dread mixed with his hunger. "Chloe? What---?" He turned to Chloe but she wasn't there anymore, and the glass she'd filled for him fell to the ground, breaking into millions of pieces._

_Suddenly the room was dark, water was rising to his knees, and he was tied to the chair, hungry and lonely and desperate._

_Sensing movement to his left he noticed that Connor was still there with him, and yet this Connor was sneering at him with disgust. "Freeze the moment dad. It'll last you a lifetime."_

_'ANGEL! __**WHERE**__**ARE YOU**__?' Chloe's desperate sob reached his ears._

And then Connor was gone, and Angel was dragged out of his latest hallucination_, _trapped, hungry, weak, tortured, and all alone at the bottom of the sea.

He sensed movement, noticed something hovering over the glass peephole of his coffin, and for a minute it seemed like someone in a diving suit---but he closed his eyes and ignored it, refusing to give into another hallucination and false hope.

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"Why didn't you tell us?" Chloe asked, glaring at Cordelia, Gunn and Fred. The last couple of days she'd been edgy, nearly violent, had needed to feed on Connor every other day just to keep herself in control of the demon she was, and it was all because of those nightmares. Those dreams of Angel---that _voice_. "If you had a lead as to whom might know where Angel is, how could you have kept it from Connor and I?"

She knew she'd snarled, and that her fangs were showing with her anger, and that she was worrying them, but Chloe didn't care. How could they have betrayed her like this?

She was still trying to get over Lorne's betrayal. These last three and a half months they'd been trying to get into contact with the future-seeing empathy demon for his help but he couldn't be bothered to talk to them, ad the few times he did he'd had to go in minutes to some show he was doing in Las Vegas.

So far, the only one in this team who hadn't betrayed her was _Connor_.

"We wanted to be sure." Fred's voice was pleading for understanding.

"We don't know if this Marissa girl saw anything." Gunn added, talking about the vampire they'd been trying to track down—the vampire who might know what happened to Angel. Apparently his car had disappeared in her hunting grounds, so if anyone would know—it would be her.

"But she could have." Connor announced from where he leaned against the door, tense.

"Maybe." Gunn nodded. "We're going to talk to her and find out what she knows."

"I wanted to tell you two from the very beginning." Cordelia offered, ignoring the glares Gunn and Fred sent her at that confession.

"I'm coming with you." Connor announced, ignoring Cordelia's words, dark gaze on Gunn.

"No, it's only one vamp." Gunn shook his head.

"The _hell_ you're going to keep us out of this!" Chloe snapped. "Connor and I are coming along, and if you have a problem with that _screw you_! Angel is _my sire!_ I _need_ to do this!"

"She has a point, Charles." Fred said, smiling sadly at Chloe. "We'll all go together. Let's get our weapons."

Connor stormed out of the room and Chloe followed, understanding why he was so pissed. She went to the weapon's closet and pulled out her sais and a couple of stakes as well, readying herself.

They made it to this Marissa's hideout and at first they'd thought that she was out, but Connor had been able to hear the faint sound of music through hidden earphones and thanks to that they'd been able to flush the hiding vamp out. Connor had _shone_ in his ferocity as he fought the older, female vamp and finally pushed her against a pillar, his sword against her throat.

While at first Marissa had denied knowing anything, the terrified looking vampire had finally admitting to having seen Angel the night he'd disappeared, had described him easily 'tall, handsome, funny looking hair'. She'd asked why they were so interested in knowing about this and Connor had backed down, letting his guard down, saying that it was his father.

And the bitch had taken advantage of his guard being down by knocking Gunn into Fred and somehow rendering them _both_ unconscious from the severity of the blow and throwing herself out of the window.

And to her horror, Chloe had had to watch as Connor raced after the vampire and threw himself out of the now broken window as well.

"Connor!" She rushed to the window and looked down below, thanking all holy that there wasn't a mangled body laying there. "I have to--."

"No!" Cordelia stopped her, hands up. "Chloe, stay here, _I'll_ go after him."

"What?" Chloe gasped. "But Connor---!"

"We don't know how many other vampires live here Chloe!" Cordelia snapped, pointing to Gunn and Fred, who were out cold. "I can't protect them if another comes while you're gone! I haven't been useful since the powers refuse to give me any visions now that their champion is gone—let me help Connor now!"

Chloe looked out of the window, wanting to help Connor, but she sighed and nodded. "Go. They're heading towards the building next door."

Cordelia smiled at her and then rushed down the stairs, stake in hand.

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Faster than she'd ever ran before, Cordelia hurried up the stairs of the next building, but stopped at the top. She paused, opening the door to the roof soundlessly and watched as the vampire, who'd just managed to climb up the side of the building using the drainage pipe stopped in her tracks when she saw Connor in the middle of the room, waiting for her, arms folded over his chest, eyes dangerous.

Cordelia kept her presence hidden, wondering how Connor would handle this. Obviously he had the vampire where he wanted it, and the brunette decided that she'd only interfere if he needed her help.

Which really wasn't likely to happen.

"What did you see?" Connor asked, voice deeper and rougher as he slowly advanced on her, arms still folded.

"Look, whatever I saw, whatever I _didn't_ see doesn't matter, okay?" Desperation was deep in the vampire's voice as she suddenly shifted her face back to human, trying to smile coyly at him. "Come on handsome." She stalked seductively towards him. "It'll be our little secret."

The disgust in Connor's eyes darkened and in a movement too fast for Cordelia to see, he'd pulled out a stake from his pants pocket and shoved it into the vampire's heart.

Cordelia's eyes widened, before she paused and looked down at the steps and silently went down a couple before taking in a deep breath and hurrying back up the last steps loudly and shoving through the door and out into the rooftop. "Connor!" She gasped, breathing in deeply through her mouth. "What happened? Where's the vampire?"

Connor's shirt was now torn when it hadn't been seconds ago, and there was blood dripping from his hand---the stake half hidden behind him though she noticed the drop of blood that fell from its tip to the ground. "She attacked me. I—I had no choice."

"She was the last and only lead we had to finding Angel." She announced slowly before smiling weakly at him. "That's okay, you did your best." Cordelia placed a hand on his shoulder and examined his arm. "She got you good, huh?"

He smiled weakly back at her, unable to meet her eyes.

The elder woman waited for a second before motioning with her chin towards the stairs. "Let's go. Gunn and Fred are out cold and Chloe's left to take care of them."

Connor nodded and started walking towards the stairs.

Cordelia hesitated a moment, watching him from behind, before shaking her head and hurrying to catch up with him.

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The minute they'd reached the Hyperion Chloe had holed herself in her room and wouldn't let anyone in. She knew it was stupid to be angry at Connor---he'd only been defending himself---but that had been their only lead to finding Angel! Ever since the vampire's disappearance Cordelia's visions had stopped coming---there wasn't even a hint of a vision anymore, and Lorne just wouldn't answer her calls!

Frustrated, Chloe pulled out her cellular and dialed the number in Las Vegas one last time. _He has to help—he HAS to!_

"What is it?" A deep, un-Lorne-like voice asked roughly.

Chloe sighed. It was Dino, Lorne's bodyguard and manager. "Hi Dino, it's me, Chloe, _again_. Look, I know he's busy, but I'm going to continue calling and harassing until you let me speak to him."

Dino growled. "Two minutes!" But he didn't seem to be talking to her.

"_Bonsoir_!" Lorne's cheerful voice called out.

It just irritated Chloe. "Lorne, it's Chloe. I've been trying to get a hold of you."

"Oh, I'm sorry hon!" Lorne announced. "I've been booked out the 'wa' and past the 'zoo'. If I get any hotter they'll have to stamp me out."

Who _cared_? "I know you're busy but we really need your help with finding Angel. We had a lead but it died. Did you talk to your connections? Have they heard anything about Angel?"

"Nope, not a peep." He sounded sorry. "But if by miracle I hear anything I'll throw up a smoke signal. Oh-oh that's my cue! Take care of yourself and make sure Fluffy's getting enough love!"

"Fluffy? Wait! Who's---?"

And then he hung up.

Chloe looked down at her cellular and then threw it as far away from her as possible before slumping in the bed, crying. She didn't know how long she was crying before she fell asleep, but she _did_ know that she'd fallen asleep because a commotion downstairs woke her up.

Unlocking her door, Chloe ventured outside and down the stairs, noticing that the sound was coming from Angel's office---the part that wasn't visible through the glass.

"_HOW COULD YOU DO THAT_?" Fred's voice screamed, sadness and anger etched into every word.

Connor's cry of pain echoed throughout the room.

Chloe's eyes widened and she hurried to the door, throwing it open in time to see Gunn pull Fred away from Connor---whom she'd tazered. "What the _hell_ do you think you're doing?" She screamed at the brunette, getting in between the couple and Connor---who was tied down to a chair. "Get away from him!"

"Chloe---." Gunn tried.

"Shut the _fuck up_!" She snarled, emotions violent and confused before she turned to Connor, bending to her knees to try and work at the knots in the cords that bound him. "It's okay Connor, I--."

"_He_ is the one who hurt Angel." Fred's voice had lost all anger and was now filled with sadness.

Chloe's hands—her whole _body_—froze as she kept her gaze on the knots. "You're lying."

"She's not, Chlo." Gunn whispered. "After Cordelia went out we got a call from Wesley. He found Angel---he's bringing him back here as we speak, and Angel told him everything. Chloe, Connor tricked Angel, loaded him into a coffin and dropped him into the _sea_."

Chloe's eyes widened and she collapsed to her knees, nightmares of fishes and loneliness and hunger flashing before her eyes. "_No_."

"He's been down there, all alone all these months." Fred was openly sobbing in Gunn's arms.

"Is it true?" Chloe asked, head bent, voice thick with suppressed sobs.

"Chloe---." Connor began in a pleading tone.

"_Is it TRUE_?" The blonde snapped, refusing to look at him. "Tell me it's _not_ _true_! Tell me they're lying! That they're possessed! Tell me you don't know what they're talking about! _TELL ME IT'S NOT TRUE! TELL ME YOU WOULDN'T HURT ANGEL THAT WAY!_"

And suddenly Connor was cold as ice. "He got what he deserved."

In a flash Chloe had stood and her hand acted on its own accord, meeting the flesh of his cheek so hard the sound caused her to wince. "How much longer until _we_ got what we deserved?"

And just as quickly as the cold anger had appeared on his face, it'd drained away, replaced by surprise and fear. "No! Chloe! I wouldn't have---!"

The sound of the front door opening interrupted whatever lie he would have told her, and with a last glance in his direction Chloe rushed out with the others, freezing when they saw a haggard-looking Wesley bringing in an Angel they couldn't recognize.

"I heard you've been searching for this." Wesley announced, standing there, looking a little awkwardly at them.

Chloe gasped in horror as she saw the condition her sire was in. He was paler than even a vampire should be, his skin had cracks in it, he didn't look lucid, and was leaning heavily on Wesley, unable to move on his own.

"_Angel_." Fred whispered, hurrying towards them as Gunn did the same thing, helping Wesley move Angel to the sofa.

"Is he going to be alright?" Gunn asked, lowering Angel to the sofa, watching as the vampire collapsed against it as if he didn't have any bones in his body.

"In time, maybe." Wesley answered, turning, moving towards the door.

"What do we do?" Fred asked, before turning to Wesley, eyes wide. "Where are you going?"

"I'm done here." Wesley announced as he stood by the door, ready to leave.

Chloe's eyes went to the bandage on his arm---the bloody bandage---and then went to Angel.

"Why did it take you so long to tell us about Connor?" Gunn accused angrily.

"You knew what he could do to us." Fred whispered.

"You're human." Wesley shook his head at that. "He wouldn't have hurt you." He sent a look in Chloe's direction that she didn't quite understand, but it shouldn't be surprising since she was still reeling from shock. "I thought you were all safer not knowing."

"We were _safer_?" Fred sneered. "You really don't care anymore, do you?"

"Shut _up_ Fred." Chloe hissed, causing everyone to turn to look at her in surprise, Fred with hurt. "If he didn't care he wouldn't have searched for Angel, he wouldn't have brought him back to us and he _definitely_ wouldn't have fed him his own blood! So just _shut the fuck up_!"

Fred's eyes went wide as both her and Gunn looked at Wesley, only now noticing the bloody bandage.

Wesley smiled slightly at Chloe. "He'll need more blood." And with that he left.

Chloe ignored Gunn and Fred and went to sit on the floor in front of her sire, looking him in the face. "_Angel_." She reached tentatively and brushed his hair with her fingers, unable to believe he was there.

Angel's eyes, vacant as could be, turned on her. "_Chloe_."

Tears escaped as she made a sound that was a mixture of a sob and a chuckle. "You recognize me, that's good."

"_Chloe_…"

Unbuttoning her shirt, Chloe continued to studiously ignore the others in the room as she took it off and leaned against the sofa, gently taking Angel's face and pressing it to the curve of her neck. "Drink, Angel. _Drink_."

"_Chloe…_" He whispered against her skin before she felt his face shifting and his fangs pierced her.

Wincing slightly at the sensation, Chloe closed her eyes, continuing to caress his hair as he drank from her.

The sound of rattling in Angel's office caused Fred and Gunn to share nervous glances. "_Connor_." Both hurried towards the room, and when the door closed behind them there was the sound of scuffling and Fred crying out.

Chloe gasped as Angel retracted his fangs from her skin and was suddenly to his feet, staggering to the door, standing in the way as Connor turned to escape.

The blonde hurried to Angel's side, looking down at her feet, unable to look at the young man who'd hurt her so horribly tonight.

"_Sit…down_." Angel growled at his son.

For a moment there was silence, and then… "You're too weak to take me."

"You really think that?" Angel's voice was deep with anger.

Another moment lapse in silence before there was the sound of a chair being righted and Connor sitting angrily on it.

Chloe looked up at Angel in surprise when she felt his arm go around her and pull her to him, but when she felt him leaning much of his weight on her she understood what he was doing. He was extremely weak but didn't want to show Connor that.

She risked a look in Connor's direction and was surprised at the anger and fury in those eyes as he watched them.

"So, how was your summer?" Angel asked, the question surprising everyone but Connor, who was wary, waiting. "Mine was _fun_. I saw some fish, went mad with hunger, hallucinated a whole _bunch_."

"You deserve _worse_." Connor sneered.

Chloe felt her heart hurting her so _badly_. How could Connor say that?

"Because I killed Holtz?" Angel asked.

Chloe's eyes widened in horror as she looked up at her sire.

_What_?

"Except, I _didn't_." Angel kept his cold gaze on his son. "I tried telling you that while you were busy off-shore _dumping me_, but I didn't know the whole score until Wesley filled me in. Holtz killed himself. Actually, he had your ol' buddy _Justine_ do it. With an ice-pick. Just to make you hate me."

Shock and horror crossed those baby blue eyes before Connor pushed back those feelings, shaking his head in denial. "No. _No_. You're _lying_. You forced my father to write that absurd letter and then you _killed him_! He was going to leave peacefully but you still murdered him! You took revenge on a weak, helpless old man who couldn't defend himself against you!" Connor's voice cracked from the tears he was obviously keep at bay. "_He couldn't defend himself_." The young man lowered his head, looking the picture of defeat and sadness. "You _deserved_ what happened to you!"

Sadness filled Chloe's soul as she finally understood the whole situation, and despite everything, she realized she couldn't hate Connor for what he'd done.

"What I _deserve_ is open for debate." Angel continued to speak with that emotionless expression on his face. "But understand that there's a difference between wishing revenge on someone, and taking it. I didn't kill Holtz. I wanted to, I went to see him with those intentions, but I didn't kill him because I knew that you loved him and I didn't want to hurt you. Whether you admit it or not, whether it disgusts you or not, you are _my son_ and I wouldn't _ever_ want to hurt you." Angel sighed, seeming so tired. "I _didn't_ kill Holtz."

Connor seemed to have gone in shock, looking down at the ground, eyes wide, tears falling to the ground as realization hit him. Emotions were visible in ever feature of his face, disbelief, shock, hurt, betrayal, understanding.

Chloe wanted to reach out and touch him, to comfort him, but she stayed by Angel's side.

"Get up." Angel waited until Connor had obeyed to continue. "What you did to me was unbelievable, Connor—but then again I got stuck in a hell dimension by my girlfriend one time for a hundred years so a few months under the ocean actually gave me perspective. Kind of a M.C. Escher perspective."

Gunn and Fred exchanged confused looks.

"But I did get time to think…about us…about the world." He paused. "Nothing in the world is how it ought to be. It's harsh and cruel, but that's why there's _us_. Champions. It doesn't matter where we've come from or what we've suffered, or even if we make a difference, we live as thought the world is as it should be to show it what it _can be_."

Connor couldn't look Angel in the eyes, his gaze downcast, shame visible in his face.

Angel continued. "You're not a part of that yet. I hope you will be." He rested heavier on Chloe. "I love you Connor." He paused. "Now get out of my house."

Connor's teary gaze lifted and met Chloe's for a second before he brushed past them and out of the office, out of the hotel, out of their lives.

Chloe closed her eyes and felt a hot tear gliding down her cheek.

Angel leaned even _heavier_ on Chloe. "I need to lay down."

Gunn took the vampire from Chloe and helped him up to his room, leaving both females standing awkwardly together.

"He needs blood." Chloe spoke, eyes still closed. "Call Cordelia and let her know what happened, I'm going to spend the night with Angel. He needs a lot of blood but in small, regular doses or he'll get sick."

"O-okay." Fred whispered.

Taking in a deep breath, Chloe turned and followed after Gunn and Angel.

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For the first time since moving into the Hyperion, Chloe spent the night in Angel's room. He was still weak and hungry and suffering from hallucinations during the night, and he'd cling to her even while sleeping as if afraid that the moment he let go she'd disappear.

Heartbroken over the whole situation, Chloe didn't sleep all night, tending to her sire and worrying about Connor. Both Angel and his son were victims of Holtz and Justine, and if Wesley hadn't killed the redhead after getting her help to find Angel, Chloe would hunt her down and kill her herself, soul or no soul.

"Shhh, don't worry Angel, I'm here." Chloe whispered, from where she laid half under the larger, heavier male. His grip around her waist was bruising, his face was pressed against her neck, and the way he slept half above her left her feeling slightly suffocated.

"_No---don't leave---_." Angel whimpered in his sleep before suddenly his face had shifted and his fangs were buried deep inside her as he drank slowly, leisurely.

It'd been like this all night, but despite the fact that her neck was getting very sore from the constant abuse she didn't complain and merely let him continue to feed until he stopped drawing blood, yet his fangs remained inside her, as if making sure she didn't move away from him.

Chloe closed her eyes tightly. That was something Angelus would do while they were having sex.

_Don't think of these things at a time like this!_

Relaxing, Chloe closed her eyes. With Angel's fangs still buried in her neck she wouldn't be able to move her head without tearing the skin so she just as well try and sleep.

_I wonder where Connor is sleeping tonight_.

Somehow, somehow she was going to make things right between father and son---right after she tortured and killed Justine.

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**Hey! I told you there'd be drama! How did you all like it?**

**Review?**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I don't own Smallville or Angel.**

_Wanna thank __**Growl Snarl, axtla000, Kotory, babyshan211, Stephycats7785, Leas1286, stsword**__ and __**David Fishwick**__for reviewing the last chapter._

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The next two weeks were blurry for Chloe. It took three days of constant feeding for Angel to get back to normal and for them to be able to get out of the bed—but he still needed to be constantly fed. By then Chloe had been faint and weak from fatigue but kept it hidden from the rest of her family. Angel had offered to feed her but she'd shaken her head and lied, saying that she was fine.

Angel was only recently well now, she was _not_ going to feed from him.

And, for some reason, just the _thought_ of feeding from Angel made her feel slightly _ill_. She didn't understand it. Before just the _thought_ of Angel's blood made her all warm and tingly, and yet now, when she closed her eyes, it was _Connor's_ skin she could smell, _Connor's_ skin her fangs pierced, _Connor's_ blood that ran down her throat like an elixir.

_What wrong with me?_

Sighing, Chloe sat down on the sofa in the lobby of the Hyperion, looking at her cellular blankly. She hadn't been sleeping well, feeling sick, worried, wondering how Connor was doing.

Angel had followed Connor's scent the first night he was strong and sane enough to leave the Hyperion, and it was because of his spying (Connor had no idea that he'd been followed) that Chloe knew the young man was staying at a homeless shelter.

The thought hurt Chloe.

_He must feel so alone_.

Shaking her head to try and dispel the thoughts of Connor, Chloe took in a deep breath and ignored Gunn and Angel's talk about the electric-charged woman they'd come against last night named Gwen. Gunn thought she was hot, Angel thought she was annoying, and Fred, well, Fred seemed a little jealous.

The only opinion Cordelia had on the matter was that the girl didn't look good in her red-leather cat-woman suit.

Chloe didn't notice when they asked her what _her_ opinion about the woman had been, she just continued to look down at her cellular and fight the dizziness. Her throat felt parched, her stomach clenched, her body begging her for a good long feed, warning her how low on blood she was.

Those green eyes raised to Angel and didn't even notice he was looking back at her. She was _that_ distracted as she tried to summon the desire to sink her fangs into his neck.

She _couldn't_.

The blonde sighed and lowered her gaze once more.

"_Chloe_!"

Shaking her head, Chloe looked up, blinking as she noticed Angel's (and everyone else's) gaze on her. "Oh, sorry. Where you talking to me?"

"You're missing Connor, aren't you?" Cordelia asked, brown eyes warm and understanding.

Fred pouted and looked down, Gunn was silent.

Chloe's eyes widened. "I—uh--."

"It's okay, Chloe, he might have done something wrong to Angel but he was great with _us_, it's understandable to miss him, especially _you_." Cordelia turned to Angel, who was listening with curiosity. "Connor took over taking care of Chloe after he, you know." She took in a deep breath, looking nostalgic. "He really began opening up with us, but I think he felt like Chloe was his family, you know? Probably because in a sense she is, being your childe and all. They became very close friends while you were gone, Connor even _fed_ Chloe."

Angel's eyes widened and he turned to Chloe. "You _fed_ from _Connor_?"

Chloe felt trapped, sensing the surprise mixed with disapproval in his voice. "I—I—I had nothing else! I was hungry!"

"And he kinda forced her to." Fred piped up, looking worriedly between Chloe and Angel. "If he hadn't she would have died. He—," she bowed her gaze. "Connor saved her life."

Gunn nodded. "Chlo was bad off, Angel. She was suffering from withdrawal, Connor helped her."

"As I said." Cordelia announced. "Connor isn't a bad kid. He was betrayed and manipulated by the only person he thought he could trust, and he genuinely thought you were a monster, Angel." She didn't react to her boss' wince at that. "But he treated us well and he took care of us. We _all_ miss him and worry about him. I mean, _you're_ the only one who's seen him since you threw him out on his own in the streets."

Angel winced again, silent, before looking up at Chloe. "Do you want to come with me tonight?" He'd been going every night to check up on Connor and make sure his son was alright---even though the young man had no clue of his presence.

Chloe ducked her gaze and thought about it for a moment. Was it a good idea to go and see Connor? _No. _"Yes."

Angel smiled. "We should probably be heading out now."

"Ok."

-------

It'd taken a bit for the vampire to track his son, but soon they'd found Connor on patrol. Angel and Chloe had rested on the top of the building and watched him below as he interrupted a vampire about to snack on a woman going home late from work.

At first the vampire had been cocky and right out attacked, and then when he'd realized that Connor could _fight_ he'd run away, only to turn the corner and run into Connor once more.

"Nothing human can move that fast." The vampire announced, shocked, still wearing his human face. "What _are_ you?"

Connor sneered and then punched the creature viciously, causing the vampire to tumble to the ground. "Don't know yet." The young man watched as the vampire's face shifted as he got up. "But I know what _you_ are, _and_ what to do with you. That'll do for now."

From where they were perched watching, Angel shook his head. "You're talking too much." He announced to his son, although both knew that Connor wouldn't be able to hear him. "Gives him time to—watch it!"

Chloe tore her gaze from Connor to send an amused sideways glace at her sire, whose eyes were solely for his son.

"Don't let him _box you in_." Angel made a face before smiling with pride. "That's it Connor…no, don't go toe to toe. He's too big. Faster than he looks. Wait for an opening… Stay sharp. You can do it."

The blonde's lips curled in a smile as she returned her attention to Connor, whose fighting had grown more vicious but accurate during his time away from the Hyperion, which surprised her since it hadn't been _that_ long ago that he'd been kicked out.

_I wonder what's motivating him to improve this much._

They watched as Connor moved rapidly, fluidly, and in an instance dusted the vampire easily. He paused, savoring his victor, before running off to continue his patrol.

Chloe sighed as she watched him go, that feeling of peace she'd momentarily experienced leaving with him. "So this is where you've been skulking off for the past few nights."

Angel, knowing that she was referring to him, made a face. "I'm not _skulking_."

"You should go after him." Chloe whispered, eyes still on the direction that Connor had disappeared in. "Talk to him. _Both_ of you are victims in this issue."

"I know." Angel sighed, turning and leaning his back against the veranda. "But the issue is still too fresh for us to try talking, we need to calm down, we need some time apart from each other."

"Something might happen to him while you two cool down."

"He can take care of himself." A hint of fatherly pride tinted Angel's voice. "You know what? We need a vacation. We----we should go see Lorne in Las Vegas! When we come back I'll talk to Connor and make things right."

Chloe stiffened, thinking once more at the betrayal she felt from Lorne's behavior the last three months. "You need someone to stay here just in case something happens, I'll do that."

Angel paused, frowning. "I--."

"I _want_ to stay." Chloe sighed, turning to look at him finally. "But the others need some time to relax and unwind. We've been stressed these last months and you've had it bad too, so you guys should go. I---I need some alone time anyway so this is a great idea."

There was a moment's pause. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah." She smiled sadly.

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With everything locked up tightly in the Hyperion, Chloe sat on her bed and hugged her knees to her chest, eyes on the shadows in front of her. She was tired but couldn't sleep. She didn't like to be alone but knew it was necessary. There were too many questions in her mind---she needed to think without any distractions.

A soft smile touched her face as she remembered everyone being so excited when Angel told them about the trip. They'd packed their things immediately (Cordelia giggling and squealing) and as soon as one could say 'wahzoo' they were gone.

Fred had tried to convince Chloe to come along but Cordelia, god bless her, had understood and supported her decision to stay. She'd even gone as far as to make _tea_ for her as a parting gift. Chloe wasn't exactly sure _what_ the tea had been made out of, but it'd been tasty and she'd drunk it to the last drop.

And now she was alone in the Hyperion, looking at the darkness around her.

Hungry.

_Alone_.

The sound of her window rattling caused her to jump, her heart in her throat, and before she could even cry out it'd been forced open and a lithe body climbed through.

Despite the darkness, despite the shadows, Chloe felt _it_, that all-too familiar connection, and her eyes widened. "_Connor_?"

The shadowed figure hesitated at the window before he took in a deep breath and walked towards her, standing in front of her bed, the moonlight now playing on his face. "You came to watch me tonight."

Her eyes widened as she looked up at him, sill not believing he was there---or that he'd just climbed into her bedroom window! "What?"

"I felt you, tonight." He spoke softly, serious blue eyes on her face. "I knew you were there though I didn't know where. But you were _there_, watching. _Why_?"

"I---we were worried. What are you doing here?"

He paused again. "Where are the others? I---I saw them drive away. Why are you here by yourself? Unprotected?"

"I don't need protection." Chloe shifted on the bed, looking down. She opened her mouth to say something else when suddenly Connor was so much _closer_ and his hand shot out, his fingers curling around her chin, forcing her face upwards to look at him.

"You need to _feed_." He growled, looking at her face with displeasure. "Why hasn't he fed you? Why are you this weak---this _pale_? I fed you not too long ago."

Chloe tried to force her heart to slow down, tried to tear her gaze from him, and yet she couldn't. "You saw how Angel was when he arrived. I---animal blood would have taken too long to heal him."

"So _you_ fed him." Connor sneered, letting go of her chin as if she were disgusting.

"Yes, I _did_. So _what_?" She tried to tell herself that she wasn't hurt that he'd treated her like that, that his thoughts about her didn't matter in the least bit.

She knew she was lying to herself.

"Connor, it's my duty and privilege to help Angel as much as I can." She looked down at her hands. "He needed a lot of blood, but he's okay now, and that's all that matters."

"Why didn't you ask him to feed you?" Connor sat down on the foot of her bed, not looking at her, body tense. "You need to feed, Chloe, even _I_ can sense that. Why hasn't he sensed it? Why hasn't he offered it? Why—why isn't he taking care of you?"

Hearing the genuine _worry_ in that voice, Chloe looked up, a small smile playing on her lips. "I'm being taken care of, Connor." That smile grew more tender at the snort he gave her. "And Angel _did_ offer me his blood, I—I just didn't accept it."

Connor's gaze rose up in surprise. "Why did you not accept? You _need_ blood."

"He's still weak, Con, I couldn't do that to him." She whispered, meeting his gaze, deciding not to tell him now Angel's blood didn't interest her for some reason. "I need to protect him now, to take care of him."

"And this taking care of him means you two share a room now?" Connor lowered his dark gaze, voice odd.

Chloe's eyes widened and she blushed. "How did you know that?"

He clenched his fists. "I---I have come previous nights to make sure you are safe, and yet you are never in your room when you should. Where else would you be?"

She was so touched by his concern that she didn't know what to say except. "I've been staying with Angel to feed him. Nothing else happened between us but feeding."

She didn't know why she felt desperate that he understand that.

"I know." Connor spoke softly, eyes on the sheets in front of him. "I would have smelt it otherwise."

She blushed.

How awkward could a conversation get?

Her eyes widened as she saw him beginning to unbutton his shirt. "_What are you doing_?!" She was horrified at how _squeaky_ that'd come out.

Connor didn't stop what he was doing. "You need to feed."

"Connor, I don't think---."

"You will not feed from Angel but you are in need of blood. I will _not_ have you ill as you were before." Connor nearly _growled_ at her as he threw his shirt on the floor. "I will feed you. I will provide this for you, I gladly provide that which you need to survive. I will protect you until the others arrive from their job tonight."

Chloe felt her gums tingling as her fangs grew on their own, but she closed her eyes and mouth tightly, telling herself to get some control.

The bed dipped in front of her and she could smell that feral scent that was just _Connor_ filling her, making her dizzy and thirsty---making her want to lean forwards.

_What's WRONG with me?_

"_Chloe_." He whispered.

"You don't have to do this, I'm _fine_." She whispered, eyes still closed shut as tightly as she could. "Angel and the others will be back in a couple of days and I'll---." A cry escaped her lips as suddenly she was pressed back against the headboard, her wrists pinned above her by one of Connor's hands, his cheek against her hair, the curve of his neck so _temptingly_ close to her mouth.

"_Feed_."

A whimper escaped her lips as Chloe dug her fangs into his old scar desperately, her eyes rolling in the back of her head at the exquisite taste of Connor against her tongue as she fed.

For the first time since Connor had left Chloe felt as if she were okay, as if the world wasn't spinning desperately, sickeningly.

"_I'm sorry_."

She tried to concentrate on his voice, on his whispers as she fed, feeling almost _high_ on his blood.

"_I'm so sorry!"_

The blonde whimpered when he loosened his hold on her wrists, a part of her had _liked_ his rough handling.

"_I didn't want to hurt you."_

What was he talking about?

_"I would never have hurt you_." He continued to whisper, voice husky. "_No matter what you did I'd __**never**__ hurt you. You would never deserve to be hurt, __**never**__."_

Finally the blonde understood. Connor was referring to the night it all happened, to the moment she'd slapped him.

"_I'm sorry_."

_I'm not the one you should be apologizing to_. Running her tongue over the skin of his neck, Chloe felt his body tremble.

Connor groaned hoarsely.

Chloe really didn't remember much after that. All she remembered was her fangs retracting soon after, and all of a sudden she'd been so _sleepy_. Something felt weird but she didn't know what exactly was going on.

It was as if she truly _was_ high.

She rested her forehead against Connor's shoulder, her breathing getting deeper as she battled between consciousness and sleep. The blonde felt when Connor pulled away and lowered her so that she was lying down in her bed, and she noticed when he got up to leave.

Her hand shot up despite her fuzzy-brain and all she got out was a sleepy whimper, but Connor seemed to understand her somehow. He hesitated for a moment before taking off his shoes and getting into bed with her, placing his arms around her waist, pressing his forehead softly against hers.

Breathing out a sigh of contentment, Chloe finally allowed herself to fall into unconsciousness.

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When Chloe woke up that morning she felt odd. There was something _off_, but she shook her head and decided that it was probably her body getting used to the rush of blood from last night. It also took her a couple of minutes to realize that Connor was still in the room, sitting on the floor, looking through her high school yearbook.

"Hey."

He looked up from the yearbook and smiled at her. It was a happy, open smile. "Morning. What is this?"

"My high school year book." She announced, stretched languidly before getting out of bed and going to her bathroom to brush her teeth. When she returned he was still looking through the book and since she hadn't seen it in a long time, Chloe went to sit next to him and look at it herself.

"Who are they?" Connor asked, pointing to a picture of a school activity. In that picture Chloe was surrounded by the Scooby Gang and they were grinning at each other.

"Those are some friends from Sunnydale." She responded, smiling at the memory of that day. "The small blonde is Buffy and the brunette is Faith, both of them are Slayers. The redhead is Willow—she's a big witch now from what Cordelia says—that's her boyfriend Oz (a werewolf), that's Xander Harris (the only normal human), and that's me."

"Your hair was shorter then." Connor noticed. "And _flippy_."

She laughed at the description. "Yep, it was _very_ 'flippy'."

Connor looked up from the picture and grinned as if he knew she was teasing him, before turning the page and frowning slightly when it came to the picture of the prom. "Who is that?"

Chloe peered at the picture and smirked. "That's Percy, a guy I went to school with. I didn't have a date to the prom and his bailed on him at the last moment, so we danced a couple of times together to stave off the loneliness."

"Angel didn't dance with you?" Connor asked, surprised.

"Nah," the smile was nostalgic. "He went with Buffy. She's his one true love."

Surprise was obvious on the young man's face as he turned his attention to the picture of Buffy. "_Her_? A _Slayer_?"

"Your father knows how to pick 'em, huh?" Chloe snorted, able to smile and jest about the whole thing since she'd put her feelings for Angel aside a long time ago. "They'll always love each other, even if they're with other people. It's just one of those things."

Connor frowned slightly. "She is nothing compared to you."

A blush tinted her cheeks.

Chloe looked down at the picture of the whole gang and for a second she didn't recognize them, didn't know who they were and didn't recognize _herself_ in the picture---and then the second passed and she remembered once more.

The blonde frowned, perturbed.

_What just happened_?

"Are you still sleeping in the homeless shelter?" She asked to keep her mind off of the strange happening.

Connor looked up. His gaze surprised and embarrassed. "You knew of that?"

She nodded.

He lowered his gaze. "No, I no longer abide there. I found an abandoned warehouse in the old section of town and have converted it into my abode. It---it lacks many comforts but I am happy. It is my own place."

Chloe watched him in silence. "You need to talk to your father. You need to resolve this issue. You need to come back here."

He looked up at her, surprised. "Do you miss me, Chloe?"

"Of _course_." And she was a hundred per cent serious. "Connor, we're all family. Families have misunderstandings, we fight, but we still love each other and worry about each other no matter _what_."

He was silent, watching her, before suddenly standing. "I should go. There are things I must do."

Chloe stood as well. "Um, okay." She looked down at her bare feet before gazing up at him once more. "Thank you for checking up on me and _everything_ last night."

He smiled at her before turning and---leaving the Hyperion through her bedroom window.

Chloe smiled and shook her head at him. "When will he ever learn to use the door?"

And then, suddenly, she felt lost, alone, scared.

_Where am I?_

She looked around the foreign, unfamiliar room, before suddenly it all rushed back to her.

Chloe frowned, placing a hand to her head.

_What's happening to me?_

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Throughout the whole day Chloe would get moments where she just blacked out, or she grew dizzy, disoriented, _forgetful_. She tried not to worry too much, tried to tell herself that it was just all the stress and worry finally catching up with her---the fact that she was dead tired all day only contributed to that thought.

By evening time she was exhausted although she'd slept through most of the day, and was lying down on the sofa in the lobby of the Hyperion. Angel had called earlier saying that they were almost home.

He informed her of how Lorne had actually been held against his will in Las Vegas by the owner of the _La Tropicana_ casino, who'd been using Lorne's ability to see futures to steal the futures of brilliant people and sell said futures to the highest bidder.

The Fang Gang had managed to rescue Lorne and stop the operation, and were heading home.

Chloe really wanted to wait up and welcome them properly, but as she laid curled up on the sofa, her eyes closing on their own, she knew that it was an impossibility.

_They'll wake me up when they all come home_. She closed her eyes, yawning. _I'm so glad Lorne's coming back—I have to apologize for thinking the worst of him. I should have known Lorne wouldn't act that way and that something was wrong_.

Yawning once more, Chloe went to sleep.

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Jolting awake, she looked around her, eyes widening and heart beating rapidly in fear at the unknown place she found herself in. It looked like the lobby of a hotel, but yet there was no one around, everything was deadly silent, and it was so late in the night.

Sitting up she hugged herself, trembling from cold and fear as she tried to find some other sign of life, tried to find someone else who could tell her what was going on.

"Hello?"

Her voice reverberated throughout the lonely lobby.

Chilled by how silent things were, she tried not to get desperate. She needed to be calm, she needed to think. She had to know this place, why else would she---?

_What's going on? Where am I?_

What was the last thing she remembered? It might help her----.

Her eyes widened.

What _was_ the last thing she remembered?

She—she couldn't remember _anything_!

_Where is this? What happened to me? Who AM I? What's my name? What do I look like?_

She paused, looking at her reflection on the shiny tiles. She apparently was young, maybe eighteen at the most, with blonde hair.

_But what's my name? Who am I?_

Getting up, she looked around her. "_Hello_?"

Still no answer.

She gulped down the desperation. "Is anyone here?"

Nothing.

"_Please_." She whimpered, tears coming to her eyes from the fear. "_Someone_."

The sound of laughter from the courtyard drew her attention and she turned in time to see two men and two women entering the lobby, smiling as they saw her.

"Chloe!" The female with the short dyed blonde hair grinned. "What are you doing awake at this ungodly hour? You didn't have to wait up on us you ninny!"

Her terror must have shown on her face because all the smiles disappeared.

The white male took an uneasy step towards her. "What is it? What happened?"

Chloe took a step away from him, shivering. She was missing something, something wasn't right, someone else should be here. She didn't know _who_ but she knew that _something_ was just out of place.

She whimpered, hugging herself tighter. "Who _are_ you people?"

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**HEY EVERYONE!**

**REVIEW!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I don't own Smallville or Angel or Jon McLaughlin's "So Close".**

_Wanna thank __**Kotory, stsword, summergirlforever, David Fishwick, Marebear007, Hikari Sakura chan, Growl Snarl, Shadow Girl, Lea1286, Stephycats7785**__ and __**babyshan211**__ for reviewing the last chapter._

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Climbing up the walls of the Hyperion and jumping in through one of the upstairs windows, Connor took in a deep breath, troubled. He hated the thoughts, the traitorous feelings he'd sensed when he'd saved that family not half an hour ago and watched as the children embraced their father lovingly, words of love being expressed.

He'd watched silently, feeling that twisted sensation in his stomach as he watched a family so unlike any he'd ever seen. While Holtz had treated him like a son he'd never been _loving_, had never acted towards him the way that father had towards his son and daughter.

It made---it made that hollow that was always inside Connor seem even more prominent, and his desire to see Chloe grow.

So that was why he was here, in the Hyperion once more, following that invisible link that always connected them.

The hotel was unusually silent now that the others were gone, and Connor couldn't help but feel unease at the thought of Chloe being here alone. Yes, she could fight, yes, she could defend herself adequately—but Connor didn't want her to find herself in a situation in which she would _need_ to defend herself.

He wanted to _protect_ her.

And he was _pissed_ at how poor a job Angel was doing.

_If he does not improve his manner of protection, if she is no longer safe under his roof, I will take her with me._ He swore to himself. _Where I live is not paradise, but it is sufficient and I will care for her with my life._

Stalking down the hallway, Connor passed Fred and Gunn's room. Their scent—like those of the other residents of the hotel—was faint from their absence, and yet it was strong enough for him to feel slight nostalgia.

He passed Cordelia's room and paused, looking at the door of the only other human other than Chloe that he'd grown slightly fond of. Cordelia in her own way had helped him during those three months, and it was thanks to her constant advice that he'd managed to grow close to his desired mate.

Shaking his head, Connor continued on, and reached the stairs, his gaze venturing below to the lobby and smiling when he saw Chloe standing there.

The sound of laughter from the courtyard warned Connor that the occupants of the Hyperion had returned early. He turned and plastered his back against the wall, keeping himself hidden yet managing to peek out and see what was going on below without giving away the fact that he was there.

Chloe turned at the sound of the laughter and a strange emotion crossed her face as Gunn, Angel, Cordelia and Fred entered the lobby, all laughing and in high spirits.

"Chloe!" Cordelia grinned, looking ecstatic to see her friend. "What are you doing awake at this ungodly hour? You didn't have to wait up on us you ninny!"

Connor nearly smirked at Cordelia but he'd noticed the expression on Chloe's face, and it was pure _terror_.

Something was wrong.

Angel must have sensed the same thing because his smile disappeared and he took an uneasy step towards her. "What is it? What happened?"

Chloe took a step away from him, shivering. Emotions that ranged from terror to uncertainty echoed on every feature of her face as she hugged herself as if trying to somehow protect herself from them. "Who _are_ you people?"

Gunn made a face. "What game are you playing Chlo?"

Angel took a couple of steps towards his childe and then stopped when she nearly tripped in her hurry to back away from him, her green eyes wide in terror, her face unnaturally pale. "_Chloe_?"

"Don't come _near_ me!" She whimpered, taking another step back when it seemed he would come towards her again.

Angel froze, looking _hurt_.

Connor didn't really care how Angel was feeling, he was worried sick about Chloe. What had happened to her?

"Don't you remember us, Chloe?" Fred whimpered. "It's us. Fred, Cordy, Gunn---_Angel_."

Connor glared at the way the petite woman said the last name, as if Angel was _so_ important to the blonde that it was _sacrilege_ that the vampire wasn't remembered.

"It's okay." Angel spoke softly, as if to a wounded animal. "We're friends. You know us."

Chloe was silent, observing them, wary.

"You're dazed or something." The vampire whispered, worried. "Something must have happened while we were gone."

The blonde paused, took in a deep breath, and spoke, confusion tinting her voice. "So we _know_ each other?"

A small, hopeful smile lit the vampire's face. "Yeah, really well."

"Ok." She took in another breath, as if trying to calm herself. "Well, uhm, _who am I_?"

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Angel felt his world fall apart as those words left Chloe's lips. What had _happened_ while they were in Las Vegas? He'd _known_ that he shouldn't have left her alone in the Hyperion but he'd gone ahead and done it anyway.

Whatever this was---it was _all his fault_!

"What _do_ you remember?" Cordelia asked in a wary voice.

Chloe paused, her gaze turning to Cordelia. "I don't know. Numbers. _Animals_. Flossing." She shrugged at the last one.

"But not _us_," Fred whispered. "Not _Angel_."

Chloe sent an odd look at the woman for that comment and Angel winced. This was _not_ the time to confuse her even more!

"I don't remember _myself_, why should I remember this _Angel_ person whoever she is?" She asked, sounding frightened and lost and _annoyed_. The blonde then sighed, looking down. "I don't remember _me_."

"You're Chloe Sullivan." Gunn announced from the back. "You're our friend. You work here with us."

"You're okay, we're friends." Angel continued to speak softly, to move slowly as to not seem like a threat. "We'll help you now that we're back."

"You left me?" Chloe asked before seeming to notice something above them at the top of the stairs, her eyes narrowing. "Are there other people here?"

Angel's gaze followed her to the empty hallway above the staircase and sighed. Whatever had happened to her had her spooked and imagining things.

"Um, not to sound all 'movie of the week'." Fred stepped forwards along with Gunn. "But I think you have some kind of _amnesia_. Maybe you fell or banged your head while we were gone."

Chloe circled the building as they came towards her so that her back was now to the door they'd come through, her body tense, wary. She still didn't trust them.

Angel pushed back the feeling of hurt and confusion. Why wasn't she feeling the waves of trust and tranquility he was sending her through their sire-link?

"Should we take her to a hospital?" Gunn asked, worried.

"Hospital?" Chloe went paler. "I don't need a hospital!"

"I agree." Fred responded. "I don't think seeing a doctor will solve her problems."

Angel's eyes went wide as he saw Lorne coming up the steps to the front door behind Chloe. The demon had stayed behind to answer a phone call, and was now hurrying to catch up with everyone else. "_Neither will seeing green_." Angel whispered to them and hurriedly raising his voice to catch Chloe's attention. "You know what might help you remember? Seeing some of your things!" He grabbed Gunn and shoved him towards the door. "Check on her things out in the garden."

"Checking away!" Gunn nodded, understanding and hurrying passed Chloe, out the Hyperion, and grabbing Lorne.

By the time Chloe'd turned around both of them were out of sight.

"Fred, Cordelia, help me look for her things in the office." Angel announced, dragging the women to his office and shutting the door with a growl. "_That_ could have been a _disaster_."

"I don't get it." Cordelia frowned. "Why are we hiding this from her?"

"Yeah, we should tell her." Fred announced. "We _do_ live in a world of demons and _icky_ things. She _is_ a demon, uhm, we _suspect_. She's _bound _to find out!"

"What do you two want to tell her?" Angel growled as he twirled to face them. " 'Hey! I know you're scared and terrified already, but we want you to know that you're a soul-infused demon who drinks blood and this guy over here is your sire, Angel, a _vampire_. He _killed_ you when you were sixteen and kept you as his sex-slave and was _so_ obsessed with you he tried to end the world!'" He growled again. "She'll think we're insane and run for the hills."

"He's got a point." Fred sighed, pretending to look for things on Angel's desk to keep up the pretense.

"While his point _might_ be valid, Chloe deserves to know the truth." Cordelia fought. "And _anyway_, I think the most important thing right now is finding out _why_ she lost her memory in the first place."

Angel paused. "I'd forgotten about that little point."

"No _duh_." Cordelia sneered.

Feeling a gaze on him, Angel looked through the glass wall of his office and noticed Chloe standing by herself in the lobby, looking at them warily.

As a unit both he and Fred smiled and waved at her.

"Great you guys," Cordelia shook her head in disgust. "Freak the poor girl out more than she already is."

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"_Okay_." Chloe whispered to herself as she saw the male and skinnier female smiling widely and forcedly at her while waving simultaneously. "_That's_ creepy." Her gaze caught sight of something on the floor, half under the sofa, and she nearly stopped breathing when she saw that it was a dagger of some sort. "So is _that_."

"Couldn't really find anything of yours in the office." The white male spoke, coming out of the office with the two females following behind.

All of Chloe's walls were up and she was wary, unknowingly taking a couple of steps backwards and away from them. What sort of weirdoes were these people who claimed they were her friends?

"That's okay." She gulped, trying to make her voice sound as normal as possible.

The phone rang.

And no body moved to answer it.

She gulped again.

This was getting creepier every second.

"Shouldn't someone answer that?" She whispered, now wishing that she'd been alone and not with these creepy-ass people.

"The machine will get it." The male announced, taking another step towards her. "You _really_ don't have to be afraid."

"Easy for _you_ to say." She whispered, thinking of the dagger. "I don't know that. Don't know _you_. This place…"

"_Hey, you've reached Angel Investigations!_" her voice, cheery and happy sounded on the answering machine, causing Chloe to freeze in surprise. "_We can't come to the phone right now, but if you leave your name, number and a brief message---_."

"That's my voice." Chloe whispered, feeling part of her calm slightly. This was some proof that what these people were saying was true. "Oh my _god_. I really _do_ work here!"

"_Hey, this is Murray. You helped me last month, 'member?_" A male voice spoke, beginning his message. "_Listen, you better come down here. That demon broad came back. Looks like she's gonna try and hatch a blood-sucking little---."_

The male cleared his throat and the skinnier female hurried to the phone, picking it up. "We're here!" She hurriedly talked to the client on the other line before promising to meet with him and hung up the phone.

Everyone gave Chloe the same creepy-ass grins.

"Did he say 'demon broad'?" Chloe asked, frowning slightly.

The skinny female by the phone looked about to faint. "Yeah! His, um, _wife_. It's—it's an ugly divorce case thing. You know, private eye stuff." She gave a nervous laugh.

Chloe wasn't buying this.

They were all hiding something from her.

"I should get _Charles_ and terminate the situation before it _multiplies_." And with that the skinny one ran out.

The other female with the short dyed hair shook her head as if slightly disgusted.

Chloe turned her attention back to the male, narrowing her eyes at the longing in those brown eyes. Okay. That dude was looking at her in a way that was _way_ too personal for her liking.

"So---." He began.

"I wanna go home!" She gasped before stopping and trying to relax, sounding meeker. "Do you know where I live?"

And that was how Chloe discovered that she---along with the others who worked in _Angel Investigations_---lived in the Hyperion. She let the female—who introduced herself has _Cordelia_—and the male—who apparently was this _Angel_ everyone was surprised she'd forgotten and _apparently her boss_—take her to her bedroom.

The blonde looked around at her room, filled with pictures and books and movies and music. While she didn't remember anything about herself she knew that this was her room, it just _felt_ like her.

Angel had done most of the speaking, telling her quick summaries of the stories behind each photo, each momento, even a pair of shoes (apparently they'd gone to a ballet—go figure), but Chloe had to admit she was relieved when Cordelia dragged Angel out of the room and gave the blonde time to herself.

She'd gone through some of her things, looked at herself in the mirror, tried out her name a time or two---nothing gave her even an _ounce_ of recognition.

The blonde had even gone through her yearbook (discovering that Cordelia was her friend from high school), but other than that little revelation the whole thing was more confusing than revealing since notes left by her classmates spoke about the school burning down (as if it were no big deal), something about a 'giant snake' and yet another thanked her for the 'flaming arrows'.

_Giant snake? Flaming arrows?_

Her life made no sense whatsoever!

She'd then gone through some picture albums, going through the pictures there before pausing when she saw a picture of Angel, Cordelia, herself and---a _baby_.

Chloe's eyes widened as something called to her. "Whose baby is that? Is it theirs?"

Confused as to the longing she got from just looking at the picture, Chloe put everything down and left the room. She didn't know where she was going but she needed to walk. Maybe just going through the many hallways of this large hotel would jog her memory.

She didn't know where she went, but suddenly the sound of a man singing _horribly _caught her attention. The blonde, unable to imagine Angel or the handsome dark man _Charles_ singing, followed the sound curiously.

One of the doors was slightly open.

"Okay, okay, enough jughead." A voice she didn't recognize announced. "You have an addiction. You know it, I know it. Now if you don't stop snacking on you-know-whats then you're going to end up on the wrong end of the---."

The voice paused and the sound of sniffing and footsteps came towards the door.

Chloe hurried and turned the corner before the person could come out.

The blonde paused as she smelt something metallic below and hurried down the stairs to the still lit but abandoned lobby. "Hello?" She made a face and sniffed again, wondering what that scent was. She followed it to behind the counter and paused when she saw a drop of something red on the surface.

She froze.

_Blood_.

She didn't know how she knew it was blood, or what it was doing there, but it was _blood_.

The door swung open and on instinct she ducked behind the counter, heart beating rapidly as she heard the female _Fred_ and the male _Charles_ coming inside, both seemingly in a bad mood.

"_I hate those nasty little babies!_" Charles announced, sounding disgusting.

"Tell me about it." Fred agreed. "I couldn't squish-squash _fast_ enough!"

Chloe's eyes widened in horror.

Blood.

Squish-squashing _babies_?

"I know we get paid to do it, but that's the kind of mayhem I would do for free." The last word was accented by Charles dropping a large axe weapon on the counter above the hiding blonde's head.

Chloe's eyes widened and she looked up at the blood-covered, sharp weapon. The blood was slightly magentaish, but her nose told her it was blood nonetheless.

Her heart was beating faster and faster.

"I'm gonna be washing their teeny brains out of my hair for a _week_." Fred complained.

Chloe pressed a hand to her mouth to quiet her cry.

"Hang on, you got something in your hair." Charles announced.

"What is it?" Fred asked.

"You don't even wanna know, just hold still." He responded.

"Charles, we should go upstairs." Fred lowered her voice. "Chloe doesn't need to know that we do this kind of _exterminating_."

_Oh god. They're the mafia! Or terrorists! Or contract killers! Ruthless assassins that squish babies!_

"When do you think Fang Boy is gonna come clean with her, huh?" Charles asked. "Spill the really-real?"

"I'm sure the time will present---."

A splat of blood fell form the axe onto Chloe, causing her to cry out as she jumped out from under the counter, looking at blood-splattered Charles and Fred in horror.

She was gonna _die_.

She didn't remember exactly what'd happened after that except that she'd run into a wardrobe and tons of _weapons_ had fallen out, then Angel had appeared, grabbed her, and somehow she'd gotten out of his hold and had run out of the Hyperion as fast as she could go, the others chasing after her.

And that's not where the weird stuff had ended, uh _no_.

As soon as she'd gotten outside these _ninjas_ had jumped out at her from the shadows in vast numbers and what was even _more_ surprising? She'd kicked their _asses_.

The blonde had fought subconsciously, shocked as she'd felt her body shift and move and kick and punch (Angel and the others fighting alongside her) until the enemy were defeated and had run away.

With the knowledge that she could _kick ass_ Chloe had stopped running and confronted them about the mass murdering of children, of the weapons, of the blood, and heavens forbid---of the godawful _singing_ she'd heard moments before.

Angel had sighed and told her that they'd been keeping things from her as to not get her worked up while she was in this state, but that they'd done it because they'd thought it was the best thing for her.

And looking in those soulful brown eyes Chloe believed him.

She'd allowed Angel to take her back inside, back to her bedroom, and they'd talked. But, of course, he'd apparently left out a _very_ important fact because when she'd asked him about the _numerous_ crucifixes she'd had in the room and even put one on him it'd sizzled and she'd screamed at the smell of burning flesh and---and when Angel's face shifted into a deformity with _fangs_.

The blonde had rushed out of the room, down the stairs, and had collided with something_ green_, with _horns_.

There'd been more screaming (from both her _and_ the green, horned guy) and then Angel, Fred, Charles and Cordelia were there…admitting to yet _another_ secret.

Chloe had gone to Angel's room with them and listened as they told her _everything_.

"So I'm a human with a demon that's fused and become one with my soul, so no one is sure _what_ I am, and I'm _your_ childe because your soulless _alterego_ killed me when his insane childe told him to." Chloe tried to let it all fall into place. "We live in a world with demons and monsters and _evil law firms _and it's our job to fight them."

"That—that about covers everything." He paused. "I think there's a way to sort this out. Pick a song."

Chloe looked up from where she'd been pacing. "Huh?"

"It's so Lorne can read you." Fred announced, pointing towards the green demon who was drinking a Seabreeze.

"You sing, and he reads your future." Cordelia explained.

"Hopefully he'll be able to explain what's happening and how to get your memory back." Gunn finished.

"Any song?" Chloe asked, feeling awkward at the thought of singing in front of them.

"Sure." Angel nodded encouragingly. "Try it."

Taking in a deep breath, Chloe didn't know _why_ this song came to her mind, but she sang it anyway.

_You're in my arms_

_And all the world is calm_

_The music playing on for only two_

_So close together_

_And when I'm with you_

_So close to feeling alive_

Lorne's face twitched slightly, his eyes intense and on her face.

Chloe ignored him, continued singing, not knowing why those words made her feel so _peaceful_.

_A life goes by_

_Romantic dreams will stop_

_So I bid mine goodbye and never knew_

_So close was waiting, waiting here with you_

_And now forever I know_

_All that I wanted to hold you_

_So close_

Lorne suddenly jumped up. "Great! Enough! Stop!"

Chloe did as told, eyes wide as Lorne made some halfhearted excuses and ran out of the room, Angel hurrying after him.

Obviously whatever the demon had seen had scared him.

And that, in turn, scared _Chloe_.

"I'm going for a walk." She turned when the others got up as if to follow her. "And I will kick your _asses_ if any of you even _think _of following me."

Gunn opened his mouth to say something but she slammed the door behind her on her way out and took off in no specific direction. She needed time alone, needed to think, needed to evaluate.

Lorne the future-telling-demon had seen something bad in her future, so bad he'd run away.

She wasn't safe.

And not only that, why had she lost her memory? Did it have to do anything with what Lorne had seen? With the empty feeling inside? That feeling that something was missing?

Something clattered behind her.

Chloe paused and turned slightly, frowning, seeing no one there.

Taking in a deep breath she resumed her walking until she heard a floorboard creaking behind her.

Angered and frightened, Chloe turned, eyeing the empty hallway behind her.

"_Look_, I told you guys I'd _kick your assess_ if you---."

And suddenly someone pale stepped out from the shadows, someone she didn't recognize. "You smell good."

_It's the voice---the guy who was singing earlier for Lorne._

And suddenly his mouth opened unnaturally, his lips curling back like mandibles to show the millions of small fangs hidden in his mouth as a hungry hiss escaped him.

Chloe's mouth widened in an inaudible scream.

As the creature jumped at her she round-kicked it and began running away before it even hit the wall. In seconds it seemed to have gotten up and was after her, Chloe turning the corner and rounding the corner and hurrying down the stairs.

She was so scared she couldn't even scream.

The creature, right behind her, jumped over the railing on the floor above and landed right in front of her as she cleared the last step of the stairs.

The blonde came to a halt, knowing she was trapped. "What do you want?"

The creature's lips twitched and drool slid down its mandibles. "A _snack_."

Out of nowhere someone jumped over the railing from above and landed on the creature from behind, causing them both to fall to the ground. The figure, the young male she caught a glimpse of before, got up and threw the creature viciously against the receptionist's counter before pulling out a dagger from his pant's waistband and flung it at the creature, piercing its forehead and killing it immediately.

He then turned to Chloe, his blue gaze searing her, filling her with a feeling of safety that she hadn't felt since waking up. "You're not safe here."

"I know."

Chloe panted, feeling dizzy from fear as she looked back at the creature and then at her savior. He was young, around her age, but his eyes shone with wisdom beyond his years, and a visible yearning to protect her. "Please, take me away from here."

Surprise was prominent in those blue eyes. "You—you don't remember. You can't make this choice to leave Angel if you don't remember. When you leave with me it should be with your memories intact, not like _this_."

"_Please_." She whispered, desperate to get out of there. She'd be safe with _him_, somehow she knew it. She _wanted_ to go with him, _needed _to go with him. "Take me with you. _Please don't leave me here_."

A moment passed in silence, a battle visible in his eyes, before Connor offered her his hand.

Chloe looked at it for a second before putting hers in his, that feeling of _wrongness_, that hollow sensation _gone_, being filled with warmth.

This was _right_.

Green eyes raised and met blue ones before she smiled. "Let's go."

Looking at her, face serious, the young man nodded before turning and pulling her after him as they ran out of the front door of the Hyperion.

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"Wow." Chloe whispered in awe at the large, stuffed and mounted polar bear adorning the inside of the warehouse. They'd entered the nondescript place and gone up the rickety lift, and the first thing she'd seen when she'd gotten out was the _huge_stuffed bear.

"I love that one." Her rescuer announced from where he stood next to her, admiring it. "I wish I'd killed it."

She snorted in amusement and turned her head to gaze at him. "You're an odd one, aren't you?"

The young man gave her a weird look at that before turning and leading her through an aisle of stacked merchandise that'd never been bought and were ultimately abandoned—much like this building.

"So, what were you doing at the hotel?" She asked, following close behind him as to not get lost. "You obviously don't live there since they didn't know you were there."

"I came to see that you were safe." He announced, turning the corner and motioning to a rickety ladder that led up to a higher, smaller section of the warehouse accessible only through said ladder. "They were gone on a vacation and had left you alone. I didn't like that. You were unprotected."

Chloe smiled slightly at the protectiveness in his voice, knowing she'd made the right choice in coming with him. "So we know each other well enough to be protective. We're friends."

"We are---_close_."

She wondered at the ambiguity of the answer. "What about the others? Are you friends with them as well?"

He didn't answer her question. "This way." He began to climb the ladder.

Chloe paused, looking up at him as he ascended. "If we're going to be climbing ladders together, maybe, I don't know, you can throw a name at me?"

He paused and looked down at her for a second. "Connor."

_Connor_. Climbing up after him, she accepted the hand he offered her at the top to help her completely up, and the blonde followed him to the door blocking their pathway, waiting for him to open the heavy thing, entering inside the larger room that had a bed on the floor with sheets and other things that made the room look like a disorderly bachelor's pad.

Connor flipped the switch and turned on the light.

"Is this where you live?" Chloe asked, watching in slight amusement as he began to pick up after himself as if embarrassed for her to see the mess.

He nodded, continuing with the rapid cleaning.

"How do we know each other, Connor?"

He paused from where he'd been putting some things in a large black plastic garbage bag. "I'm Angel's son. When I was young I was kidnapped by his enemy and raised in a Hell Dimension. For me it was years, for you all it was only days." He stood straight, looking at her evenly although there was nervousness in his eyes. "I found a way to come back to kill Angel, but I couldn't. He was too strong, and I'd met you. You—you were nice."

Chloe blinked, surprised.

"I stayed with Angel, but Holtz had come through as well and he killed himself making me think that Angel had done so. I swore to avenge my foster father's death and I sunk Angel to the bottom of the ocean to punish him. He was under the ocean for three months. No one knew what I'd done, not even you. I lived in the hotel for those three months until a couple of weeks ago when Angel was found again and I was thrown out."

The blonde collapsed on the bed, pulling the pillow to her chest as she looked up at him. "Why are you telling me all this? I don't remember—you could have---."

"No." He shook his head vehemently. "I lied to you before and I swore I'd never do it again. You—you might reconsider staying here now that I told you everything, but I needed you to know the truth."

Chloe was silent for a second before letting go of the pillow and standing, slowly making her way to Connor. "Thank you." From the surprise in his eyes she knew that her response had shocked him. "You're the first one who's told me the truth straight out, who's trusted me to be smart enough—_strong enough,_ to handle it." She reached out with her hand grasped his. "_Thank you_."

A small smile touched his lips.

Her heart began to beat faster.

For the first time since waking up with no memory, Chloe felt _safe_.

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Sitting at the window, Connor fiddled with the metal cord while sending discreet glances at Chloe, who was sleeping on the mattress on the floor. He couldn't believe that so much had happened in one night. She'd lost her memory, had nearly been killed, and had asked him to take her away with him.

Shaking his head he finished making the loop with the cord and got up walking towards the door, which was the only entrance to his room.

"You're not leaving, are you?" Chloe's voice was soft and scared.

A smile touched his lips as he looked back at her, reaching the door. "I thought you were sleeping."

"You _were_ leaving?"

He chuckled and shook his head, securing the cord around the handle of the door so it couldn't be opened from the outside. "I was locking the door. You're safe."

"I know." Chloe whispered, pushing herself up into a sitting position and turning to look at him. "But I'm still so _scared_. All night I've been trying to remember anything at all, but I can't remember the littlest, _stupidest_ thing about me. _Anything_ would be okay."

Connor made his way to the bed and hesitated a second before sitting down on it, relieved when she didn't look uncomfortable at his proximity.

"Everyone all around me are strangers—_I_ am a stranger." Her voice cracked slightly from emotion.

Connor's heart _hurt_ to see her like that, eyes red, head bent in defeat, and he spoke before even realizing. "You are very smart, you're always laughing and happy—always trying to make everyone smile even when you're so sad inside."

Chloe looked up at him through her bangs, listening.

"You don't like shopping very much unless its for a book, can't cook without setting something on fire, and you hate music called _polka_."

A feeble giggle escaped her lips.

Encouraged by this, Connor continued. "You always wanted a dog but never had one, and you said my blood is the best thing you ever tasted."

Chloe's eyes widened. "I fed from you? But—but Angel said that I could only feed from _him_!"

Connor snorted. "You can feed from anyone who has his blood through their veins. It's the only good thing that ever came from being his son." He pulled at the neck of his shirt and showed her the faint scar on his throat.

"_I'm so sorry_." She whispered, looking horrified, hands to her mouth to try and hush the gasp. "I hurt you! I--."

"Chloe, I offer myself to you freely." Connor chuckled softly. "And it is not an unpleasant experience for me."

And for some reason she blushed, her gaze ducked. "Thank you, Connor, for _everything_. I don't know what to do or who to trust anymore---_except you_." She raised earnest green eyes towards his. "I don't know why—but I trust you."

He smiled softly at her. "Sleep. You have suffered a difficult night."

Chloe paused for a moment and then nodded, lying back down, closing her eyes.

Taking in the view of her in his bed, Connor got up and marched back to the window, sitting on the ledge, watching her with that small smile still curving his lips.

He then paused, frowning, remembering those operative from Wolfram and Hart attacking Chloe this evening. They'd been sent for a reason---who said that they wouldn't track her down here and attack?

_Looks like I'm going to have to put up some traps---just in case_.

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Chloe woke up to warmth, and felt herself blushing as she realized that Connor was sleeping next to her, arm around her waist possessively, drawing her towards him even in his sleep.

The blonde turned her head to get a better look at him.

'_We are---close_.'

What had he meant when he'd said that?

He didn't act as if sleeping with her was odd, he looked quite comfortable in this position.

What exactly had their relationship been?

Suddenly Connor's eyes flew open and his hand covered her mouth to muffle her gasp of surprise. He was silent, listening, before he whispered. "Someone's here."

Eyes wide, Chloe looked to where he pointed and noticed at the now unlocked door creaked open and a man in black tiptoed in. In the dark he didn't see the trip wire and cried out as the cord wrapped around his ankle and pulled him violently up into the air.

In a second Connor was up, grabbing a weapon from his small but growing weapons pile and throwing her a sword like his. "Do you remember how to fight?"

She looked at the sword in her hand. "With a weapon? Not sure."

"They're coming for you." Connor reached down and pulled her to her feet. "I've set traps but you'll have to fight. I don't know how many they are."

The next thing she knew it was chaos as the operatives stormed into the room in throngs. She felt her instincts kick in as she and Connor fought back. The blonde was surprised once more and how accurate her blows were, how easy, how _natural_ it was for her to cut with the sword and roundhouse kick.

Still, despite their fighting prowess and the many traps Connor had set, the numbers of the men sent for her were many, and during one part of the fight she lost her sword and would have been in serious trouble if the door hadn't been kicked open and Angel and his crew threw themselves into the fray.

Soon the operatives were beaten and rushed out of the warehouse, and Chloe looked up in surprise as Angel was in front of her in seconds, his hands on her arms, worry in his eyes. "Are you alright? Did they hurt you?"

"No---I'm fine." She blinked. "How did you know I was here?"

"Wesley---a friend of yours---came to the Hyperion and told us." Gunn announced.

"He always seems to be a step ahead of all of us." Fred lamented.

"Well, we should be _thankful_." Cordelia replied, looking around the bedroom before her gaze rested on Connor and she smiled. "Hey Connor! How have you been doing?"

"Fine." He spoke, standing apart from them, face stony and serious. "I didn't expect so many."

He was obviously talking about the men from Wolfram and Hart.

"Well you tried." Angel announced, turning to his son. "I appreciate that." He looked around the room. "I really like what you've done with the, uh---_nice_." He turned to Chloe, beginning to usher her out. "We should probably get you back home."

"Actually," Chloe stepped out from in front of him and made her way to Connor, standing by his side. "I'd like to stay here, with Connor."

Fred and Gunn shared surprised glances.

Cordelia tilted her head and watched them.

A small, surprised smile touched Connor's lips as she reached his side.

Angel froze, his back towards them, before turning to look at Chloe. "I don't think that's the best idea. Connor's a great fighter—_I helped train him_---but you need _more_ than just muscle right now."

"You're right." Chloe nodded. "I need someone who won't lie to me like you all did." She paused, sighing. "I know you were trying to help, but the truth is the only way to do that, and _that_ is what Connor has given me."

There was a pregnant silence and Chloe hated herself when she saw the hurt look on Angel's face, but she knew that this is what she needed to do, she needed to be _here_ right now. She was just sorry that she'd had to hurt Angel in the process. From what she'd been told he was her sire, he'd taken care of her for years, and it must hurt for her to choose someone else's protection over his own.

But it was what she needed to do.

Silently everyone turned to leave. Angel hesitated at the door and sent a look at Connor. "Keep her safe."

His son nodded silently.

And then they were all gone.

Chloe let out the breath she hadn't known she was holding when Connor went to the door and locked it once more, this time for good now that they knew the danger had passed---at least for tonight.

"Let's go to bed." She whispered, surprised at how easy it was for her to say that.

How _natural_.

Connor locked the door, turned to her and nodded. "You're safe here, Chloe. I will protect you."

She smiled softly and headed back to the bed. "I know."

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In Chloe's bedroom in the Hyperion, Angel sat in the darkness, looking at the empty bed, lost in thought.

Wolfram and Hart had used the attack on Chloe as a diversion to get to Lorne while the others were out---to know what he'd seen when he'd read Chloe. They'd used another demon to extract the memory from his brain and then they'd left Lorne unconscious and tied to a chair.

If Wolfram and Hart had gone to all that trouble to get that information it meant that they didn't know what was going on either---which in turn meant that_ they _weren't the ones responsible for Chloe's memory loss.

He closed his eyes tightly, feeling useless, impotent.

Why had he gone and left her?

He didn't blame her for choosing Connor over him! His son had done a better job of taking care of her than he had!

But still---but still it _hurt_---it hurt _so badly_ that she'd preferred to stay with Connor in that run-down warehouse than to return home with _him_.

Angel had never realized how much he'd grown to need Chloe, how used to her he was, how big a part of his life she was, until she was no longer there.

He closed his eyes tighter.

_Chloe_…_please…come home to me_.

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**Hey! This was an extra long chapter! What do you think?**

**REVIEW!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I don't own Smallville or Angel.**

_Wanna thank **Nindira, stsword, Stephycats7785, Lea1286, Marebear007, babyshan211** and **Hikari Sakura chan** for reviewing the last chapter._

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"Ah, give it to me, sweetness. Right there." Lorne moaned in slight pain as he reclined in bed, band-aid covering the hole in his head.

Angel set a food tray down on the bed and let go once the demon had grabbed onto it, giving the green man a concerned smile. "Here you go. How's your head?"

"Smashing." Lorne replied cynically before pausing. "Listen. I know I've been a wee bit jumpy the last couple of days, but - did I hear a scream?"

"Oh, it's just Fred." Angel smiled, remembering how the young woman had had her _very_ complicated sounding article published in an important science magazine. She'd been squealing ever since the issue with her piece had come out earlier this morning. "I think it's a Texas thing."

Lorne nodded, ate a little of the soup, then set the tray aside. "Well, it's all too much Sturm and Drang for my appetite. Chloe shacking up with your hell-spawn - no offence - and the hole between my horns."

Angel cleared his throat, looking down as innocently as he could at his shoes. "And you're probably a little on edge because of the whole 'slouching towards Bethlehem' thing."

Lorne raised an eyebrow. "No."

Angel's head jerked up, his gaze hopeful. "No? That's good, because..."

Lorne sighed, shaking his head. "Sorry. I jumped ahead. That 'no' was the one that comes after you asking me to read Chloe again."

Angel blinked in surprise and then half-pouted at having been found out. Honestly, he'd been so _sure_ he was being sneaky about the whole thing. "I wasn't - going to ask you that immediately. I was gonna build up to it subtly."

Lorne laughed, as if the thought of Angel being _subtle_ was comical. "I appreciate that, sugar pie, really, but - the answer is no. I'm not a champion. I'm just a regular, old Karaoke-singing empath demon."

Angel ignored the jab at his subtleness and tried to push the issue. If they knew what'd happened to Chloe they'd be able to right the wrong, get her memory back, and she'd be back home where she belonged. "You saw something. If we knew what it was..."

Lorne looked tired. "Wolfram and Hart would come after me again. And maybe they wouldn't stop with a little gray matter."

Angel suddenly frowned, hearing something weird coming not to far from here. "I'm listening."

Lorne continued on. "Hey, death just doesn't look good on me. I wish I could tell you what was coming and when, but..."

Angel went to stand by the open door to the hall. What was that sound? Was there someone in the Hyperion? It sounded as if---as if it was coming from Chloe's room?

Lorne paused. "When you say 'listening' you don't mean to me. You heard something, didn't you?"

Angel continued to hear the shuffling sounds, frown growing. "It's probably just Cordy."

Lorne fumbled a small ax out from under the blanket covering him.

Angel walks out into the hall.

Lorne's voice echoed after him: "I got your back."

Shaking his head with a slightly amused expression at the fact that the demon who 'had his back' had just locked the door behind him and was probably hiding back in bed. The vampire stalked down the halls, tracking the sound of someone moving around until he stood in front of Chloe's room.

Opening the door slowly, Angel saw through the darkness of the abandoned room someone rummaging through Chloe's things. Anger filled him at the thought that someone was trying to steal the little that Chloe had, and in a fit of fury he lunged and threw the person up against the wall.

It was at that exact moment that he suddenly realized _whom_ he had pinned to the wall, snarling at. "Connor?" In seconds he'd let go of his son, feeling ashamed for not having realized who it was sooner. "Sorry about that."

Connor pulled his shirt straight, face a sneer. "I'm used to it." Walking around Angel, the young man ignored his father and picked up a cardboard box he'd obviously brought with him and set it on a table.

Angel watched his son, wincing at how things had gone down between them so far. "The front door is always open, Connor. You don't have to sneak in."

Connor began putting things into the box, not looking up from his task. "Chloe wanted some of her stuff."

Something tightened inside of Angel's chest at the mention of his childe and best friend. "How - is she doing? Chloe. Anything coming back to her?"

Connor went to the closet and grabbed some of Chloe's clothes and shoes, taking them out and folding them neatly, placing them into the box, filling it up completely with all of her clothes. "Nothing about _you_."

The vampire flinched, before suddenly realizing something as Connor grabbed another box and began filling it with other things Chloe would want or need, like her laptop. "Is she alone right now? Because..."

Whirling around to glare at him, Connor's glare was darker than usual. "She's safe! I can take care of Chloe. I've been doing it for months now." Turning his back on Angel once more, Connor haphazardly threw in a couple of other stuff and filled in that box as well. Stacking one box over the other, he picked them both up as if they weighed nothing and turned to leave, eyes narrowed on Angel, who was standing in his way. "Can you get out of the way? Chloe really wants these things as soon as possible."

"Sure. Sorry." Angel stepped out of the way.

Connor moved past Angel, carrying the boxes.

Frozen in place, watching Connor walk away, Angel felt lost. Connor shouldn't be taking Chloe's things with him, that, that made it seem as if she was going to stay there for long---and she wasn't! She was going to regain her memory and move back right away!

The vampire's gaze fell on the slippers by the doorway. They were pink and fuzzy, not something Chloe would usually own, but they'd been a birthday gift from Wesley (and they were incredible comfortable and warm---or so she said) so the blonde treasured them greatly. "Wait! You should take her fuzzy slippers." He picked them up and hurried to Connor, placing them in the top box. "Her feet get cold."

"I know." Connor announced flatly, continuing to walk, leaving Angel behind. "She's always stealing the covers."

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The west wall of the room had been horribly bare. It'd been bothering Chloe ever since she entered the room, but now it was filled with different pictures pinned to it, making a collage of friendship that made her smile and feel more like home in the warehouse.

There was a picture of Fred and Gunn dressed up for a ballet, a picture of Cordy and Wes mock-fighting over a plate with a slice of birthday cake (Chloe couldn't help but wonder _whose_ birthday it had been), and one of Lorne trying to cover his ears as Cordelia sang while dusting off some furniture.

There were some pictures of someone called _Clark Kent_ (she only knew this because the name was scribbled behind the picture), and pictures of her when she was younger and with a group of people she didn't recognize, but whom Connor had told her were friends from a place called _Sunnydale_.

Most of the pictures were of Chloe and Connor though. Some were pictures they'd posed for, grinning brightly into the camera, but most were pictures that'd been taken of them while they weren't paying attention. In those pictures Chloe and Connor were always talking, laughing, looking at each other---so _happy_.

Her heart raced as she looked at a picture of her leaning against Connor, eyes closed, lips parted slightly, obviously sleeping peacefully. That part of the picture was embarrassing, but it was the expression on Connor's face that had her fixated. The young man was leaning his cheek against the crown of her head, his gaze downward, his lips curled in a small, tenderly satisfied expression.

Pinning that picture up last, Chloe stepped back and examined the wall, admiring the transformation.

Her gaze returned once more to the picture of her sleeping with her head on Connor's shoulder.

_What sort of relationship did you and I have?!?!_

Connor's voice echoed in her mind. _'We are---close.'_

_What does that __**mean**__?_

Sighing, she walked over to the bed and looked through the two boxes Connor had brought over from the Hyperion around half an hour ago. She frowned, searching, searching, yet not finding what she was _sure_ should be there.

"Connor?"

"Yeah?" His voice asked from the bathroom.

"How come there aren't any pictures with Angel?" She made a face as she gave up searching the boxes for what obviously wasn't there.

Connor walked into the room, hair wet, pulling on a shirt. He paused for a second before replying, looking for his shoes. "Ah---I didn't see any."

She wondered about the hesitation, then shrugged it off as his mind being elsewhere. "That's okay, you got everything else I asked you for." Smiling, she pulled a piece of sheer fabric out of the box and used it to cover a round table in the room. The table itself was nice, but it had scratch marks as well as some stains in the wood, so the fabric hid the defects and enhanced the beauty of the antique.

The blonde stood back to once more admire her work. "Just you wait and see, I'm going to make this warehouse as comfy and homey as a—well, a _home_."

She didn't notice Connor watching her with a soft smile on his face as he laced up his shoes.

Looking around, the blonde sighed.

Connor frowned slightly. "What?"

"Nothing." Chloe made a face, shrugging. "Except…" She sat down on the bed, still not daring to look at him. "I don't know." How could she explain this to her host if she couldn't properly understand it either? "I'm really enjoying this—the decorating and all that—but I feel this _itch_ inside of me. My hands---its like they want to do something, to hold something, but I'm not exactly sure _what_."

Connor was silent for a moment before looking around. Seeing an ax lying on a dresser he picked it up and handed it to the blonde. "How does _that_ feel?"

"Heavy?" Chloe asked, not exactly knowing what the proper answer to that question should be.

Connor smirked, looking amuse. "Well, that shouldn't surprise me. You're used to fighting with your sais, and they're much lighter than this is."

"I have _sais_?" Chloe asked, eyes wide, surprised and exited.

A grin tilted those lips. "Yes. I forgot to bring them though, so we'll just have to break into the Hyperion on our way there and get them for you."

"On our way _where_?" Chloe rubbed her hands together in anticipation.

"On our way to patrol." Connor announced easily. "The symptoms you describe? I feel the same way when I go for a while without hunting. We're predators, Chloe. We hunt those who hunt in the night and prey on the innocent, you mightn't remember that but your body does."

The blonde listened, sensing the _anticipation_ in her at the thought of patrolling and realizing that he was right. She _wanted_ to do this. "When do we leave?"

His smile grew wider.

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They'd managed to sneak into the Hyperion, get Chloe's sword and sais (along with a couple of stakes), and escape without anyone detecting their presence in the hotel. Of course, that was due to the fact that no one was _in_ the Hyperion—obviously all were out doing something or the other.

_It's better this way. _Connor thought as Chloe and he began their patrol. _They would have tried to convince her to stay with them again I they'd been there._

His thoughts were interrupted as they came upon a small, manageable group of vampires stalking a young, oblivious couple, and jumped the predators.

At first Connor had been worried, keeping an extra eye on Chloe, but as soon as she'd thrown herself into the fray the blonde had seemed to come alive, her instincts working overtime as she slashed and staked the vamps all around her.

The brunette smiled and paid more attention to the vampires attacking him, reveling in the hunt. He'd missed patrolling with her. It was always different, more _exhilarating_ when Chloe was hunting by his side.

Staking the last vampire, Connor wasn't prepared for Chloe to squeal and jump on him, arms around his neck.

"We did it!" She laughed, exited, cheeks flushed and eyes shining.

Connor grinned, loving the feel of her against him. He dropped his weapons to the ground and wrapped his arms around her, lifting her off the ground and twirling her in the air from pure _happiness_ at having her by his side again.

How had he managed to survive these last weeks without his woman?

Throwing her head back, Chloe laughed as he continued to twirl her until they were both dizzy, and only when he thought he might trip did he stop and slowly lower her down his body---suddenly the atmosphere changing as the laughter died in their throats and Chloe's breathing deepened, her surprised, slightly glazed green orbs trained on his face.

Connor's breaths were erratic, his blue eyes traveling all over her flushed face hungrily, need building in his stomach fiercely. His urgent and animalistic urges when it came to Chloe usually terrified him with their unfamiliarity, and yet this time instead of pulling away in fear and disconcertion Connor gave into the feelings and closed his eyes, bringing his face down to Chloe's and hesitating only a second before pressing his lips to hers.

A gasp escaped her lips before Chloe's hold on his neck tightened and she arched in his hold, kissing him back with as much hunger and desire as he was her.

Something howled inside of Connor as he backed the blonde against the wall of the dark alley, eating the whimper she let out and burying his hands in her hair possessively as he slanted the kiss and took it deeper, his tongue raking the inside of her mouth, claiming every inch of it as his and only _his_.

Chloe's hands loosened from around his neck and trailed down his chest before pushing up under it, her palms skimming warm, toned abs and causing Connor to groan into the kiss as his body seemed to ignite into an _inferno_ at the touch of her skin against his.

"_Connor_…" Chloe whispered, curling her fingers and grazing her fingernails against his skin.

Connor's kiss grew more frantic at the sensation and he tried to keep back the throaty groan stuck somewhere inside of his throat.

While his mind didn't know exactly what to do from hereon his _body_ sure seemed to as he pressed his lower body into Chloe's, both groaning at the sensation.

His body jerked in surprise and need when Chloe trailed her hands down his abdomen and reached the button of his pants, beginning to undo it and then slowly lowering his zipper.

A scream for help echoed throughout the night, causing them to break apart.

Connor growled, head lowered, body tense, _aching_.

Chloe was still with her back pressed against the wall, eyes wide, face flushed. "I—I--." She looked down. "We should go check that scream out."

Connor cursed in Quor'tothian and did up his zipper and button, storming towards the sounds of screaming.

Whoever had dared interrupt them was going to be sorry it'd ever existed!

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Back at the warehouse, Chloe bathed and sat down on the bed, glad that Connor was busy bathing and getting rid of the dirty they'd accumulated while patrolling. She needed some time to herself, to think.

The memory of what'd happened between them kept playing on a loop in her mind over and over and over again, confusing her more and more every time it started over again.

She wanted him.

She wanted him _so badly_.

But she couldn't remember him, not _really_, nor their relationship. Had this been a first or a regular occurrence for them?

She needed to know this before she could do anything else and she needed to ask someone about it, someone who wasn't a part of this whole mess.

Turning to the wall, Chloe looked at the one person she felt she _could_ talk to this about. It was the _one_ person in each and every picture with her and Connor in it who was watching them and smiling to herself.

_Cordelia_.

Taking in a deep breath, Chloe headed towards the door, about to leave when it was opened and Connor strode in from where he'd taken his bath in the bathroom downstairs.

The brunette paused when he saw her, still rubbing a towel against his hair. "What were you going to do?"

Her heart nearly _stopped_ as she saw him standing so close in front of her, chest bare, wearing a pair of loose sweatpants that hung low on narrow hips.

_Mustn't. Jump. Him. __**Again.**_

Clenching her fists tightly, Chloe cleared her throat. "I'm going to the Hyperion."

Connor's face went emotionless. "_What_?"

"I---I need some space after what happened while we were patrolling." Chloe replied truthfully. "I need to talk to--."

"You're going back to _him_, aren't you?"

Her eyes widened. "No! I—I'm not---!"

"Then why are you going back there?" He asked, eyes narrowing, showing his first sign of emotion.

"Because I can't be alone with you right now!" Chloe snapped, before her eyes widened at the hurt in his face. "Connor, I---."

Connor hadn't let her finish though, he'd pushed passed her, grabbed a shirt and an ax, and then stormed out, leaving her alone.

"Great going, Sullivan. Hurt the feelings of the guy you're almost _sure_ you were in love with before you went and lost your memory." Chloe hissed to herself before sighing and going out as well, destination, the Hyperion.

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**Hey everyone! Poor Connor, huh?**

**Review?**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I don't own Smallville or Angel.**

_Wanna thank __**babyshan211**__ (yes, I know what you mean! __Winkwink__), __**Nindira**__ (thanks for informing me of the change of names otherwise I'd be worried that "Kotory" had lost interest in the story! :D ), __**chounette26**__ (well, for right now I have writer's block concerning chloe's supernatural, so I'm concentrating on this story until further notice), __**Stephycats7785**__ (Yep, poor Chlo, and she'll get even more confused in this chapter!), __**Lea1286**__ (You're gonna feel bad for Chloe and Angel again in this chapter!), and __**David Fishwick**__ (Thanks! I'm glad you're enjoying it so far and sorry for the slow update so far!) for reviewing the last chapter._

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It was the scent that attracted Chloe towards the fight that she hadn't even _heard_.

The blonde paused, confused, not exactly sure _why_ she'd been attracted to the scent of the brunette, but the moment it'd been brought to her nose thanks to the wind, Chloe had felt _fixated_ with it. She knew that she was some sort of freak with heightened senses, and wondered if this was a usual occurrence, but really didn't have much time to think about it since the drunk brunette was surrounded by the three vampires that'd cornered her against the wall of the dark alley.

The brunette had fought them admirably well for how drunk she was, landing a good amount of blows to them, but she obviously hadn't realized at the time that she was dealing with vampires, because the moment the three of their faces shifted to their demonic forms the woman had screamed, sober enough to realize that she was in a shitload of trouble.

Chloe's hands went to her belt and let out a sigh of relief when she found that even without her memory she was acting on instincts and had grabbed her sais before leaving the warehouse.

"I'm cranky and in a bad mood right now." She spoke, surprising the four she'd been watching with her sudden appearance. "I really don't want to have another fight tonight, so why don't you guys just leave and I'll forgive you for tonight?"

Her gaze was on the vampires who'd turned their backs on their victim and were eyeing her with unease because of how she'd managed to creep up on them.

She didn't notice the brunette's eyes widen in horror when they rested on her.

"What the hell are you lady?" The bleached-blonde vamp wanted to know, frowning. "You smell unappetizing."

She smirked at that. "Just get the hell out."

"Hey, she's the one who offed Benny's men! Her and the Destroyer!" The redhead with all the piercings announced, voice high, recognizing her immediately.

The one with the purple hair took a step back. "I aint messing with you lady!" And with that the vampire took off, the one with the piercings hurrying after him.

That left Chloe and the bleached-blonde.

"Look." The hybrid growled, frustrated and tired. "I don't have _time_ for this---." She sidestepped the attack when the vampire jumped at her, and in the blink of an eye she'd pulled out a sais and sliced off his head---his whole body exploding into dust seconds later."_Great_." She shook her head in disgust, dusting herself off. "I just bathed too."

"_Chloe_?"

Looking up at the teary voice, Chloe blinked in surprise to see the brunette crying as she sat on the ground, looking up at her brokenheartedly.

"_Chloe? Is that---is that __**you**__?"_

The blonde blinked. Obviously the reason the scent had attracted her was because she _knew_ this woman. "Um, yeah." Smiling sheepishly, she put away her sais and walked towards the older woman. "Look, don't take this the wrong way, but I don't know who you are." She hurried on when she saw the hurt and betrayal in those dark, teary eyes. "I don't remember who _anyone_ is, really. As Women's Chanel as this may sound, I lost my memory so everyone is a stranger to me. I didn't even remember my name until Angel told me."

"Angel?" The woman asked, screwing up her face, looking a lot more sober now than she had the first time Chloe had seen her.

"Yeah." Chloe nodded, wondering how much this woman knew about her. Did she know about her being a vampire/human hybrid? "He's---well, you could say that he's the only family I got left."

The woman's eyes narrowed. "Did this _Angel_ tell you that bullshit?"

Chloe frowned slightly, wondering why the woman looked murderous. "Who exactly _are_ you?" She asked, helping her to her feet.

The woman took in a deep breath, eyes squarely on the shorter blonde. "My name is Lois Lane---and I'm your _cousin_."

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Tonight had been a night full of surprises. Not only had they discovered that Fred's old professor had been the one to send her to Pylea out of jealousy because of her being a certified _genius_, and not only had Fred sent said professor into another Hell Dimension as just punishment, but Angel and the others had arrived home to find Chloe and another unknown woman standing there waiting for him.

No, that wasn't where the surprises ended.

The moment the brunette discovered that he in fact was 'Angel' she'd punched him so hard his jaw was almost dislocated. His childe and Gunn had had to grab the brunette and hold her tight as she struggled against them and screamed obscenities at him.

It wasn't until the brunette managed to calm down and Chloe softly whispered _who_ the brunette said she was did Angel (who was _still_ nursing his throbbing jaw and being fussed over by Fred and snickered at by Lorne and Cordelia) wince and realize that he actually deserved that punch and anything else the lively brunette dished out.

She was Chloe's _cousin_.

The fact that she was taking vampires and green horned demons in stride and just continued to glare hatefully at him spoke of the magnitude of her fury---fury he deserved. As Angelus he'd not only killed and sired her cousin, but he'd killed another blonde, mutilated her body, and made it seem as she were Chloe.

The blonde's family and friends had all thought Chloe had been raped and tortured before being killed and her body being abandoned in some trashcan. They'd mourned Chloe and had felt guilt and loathing because of all they'd thought the girl they'd all loved had gone through, and now that this woman—_Lois—_realized what'd _really_ happened she was out for his head.

"Do you _realize_ what you _did_ to us?" Lois growled, looking as if she could hardly keep herself from jumping for his throat once more. "You didn't just kill Chloe—you killed _all of us_!" Her voice broke for a second before she continued. "We tried hunting down her killer for _years_! We blamed ourselves for not being there when she needed us! Uncle Gabe nearly went _insane_!"

Chloe winced where she was standing next to Cordelia and Gunn.

Angel lowered his shame-filled brown orbs, unable to look at the brunette.

"I—I had nightmares _every night_ of Chlo screaming for help and _I couldn't help her_!" Lois's voice was thick with tears, her eyes glistening in sorrow. "How could you have _done_ that to us?"

"Well, to be fair, that was _Angelus_, not _Angel_." Fred put in.

"No one's asking _you_ raggedy ann!" Lois snapped, eyes flashing. "Chloe explained all that crap to me while we were waiting on you guys, and soul or not, it was the same person!"

"No they _aren't_." Cordelia's voice was calm but determined. "Look, I understand that you're going through a lot of pain and suffering—many of us have lost someone we loved to vampires or other things—but you don't _know_ what we do. You've never _met_ Angelus, and believe me you never _want_ to. Angel is a completely different person. Angel's a champion of the _light_, _chosen_ by Higher Powers to fight their battles against darkness."

Lois was silent, wiping at her tears stubbornly, and yet listening nonetheless.

Cordelia seemed to realize this, and pressed forwards in her own unique way, placing a hand on Lois' slumped shoulders. "I'm sorry for all the pain you and your family went through, but know that it was Chloe's decision to keep you in the dark when one of her childhood friends, Clark Kent, found out that she was alive. She didn't want to open up all your hurts and pains, she wanted to let your get on with your lives and be happy."

"She's stupid that way." Lois whispered throatily, wiping at another tear.

Cordelia smiled. "Yeah, she is. But she's also happy here with us. That doesn't mean that she loves you all any less, but she's a part of our family as well. She fights alongside Angel against the evil in our world—and she's damned good at it."

"I---I saw her, tonight." Lois finally looked up and met Cordelia's eyes, a small smile on her face. "She was incredible. There were these three—and I can't believe I'm saying this—_vampires_ that attacked me and two ran away when they realized who she was, and she'd dusted in _seconds_ the one that stayed behind and attacked her."

"That's our Chlo!" Gunn grinned, looking proudly at the silent blonde. "She's got sick talent, and the vampire-genes inside of her don't hurt at all!"

"You should see her and Angel sparring." Fred sighed, apparently forgiving Lois for snapping at her. "They have _such_ Kyrumption!"

Lois raised an eyebrow at that, obviously confused.

Angel sighed and remained silent. He couldn't believe how things were turning. Cordelia was usually so extremely _tactless_, so to see that _she_ had managed to somehow avert the disaster was amazing.

He knew it was better if he stayed quiet though. Lois looked like one peep from him would make her explode.

Cordelia somehow got Lois to sit down, telling her (and a curious Chloe) about how she'd first met Chloe and how they'd been friends in Sunnydale. Sometime during this Fred and Gunn went upstairs and Lorne got a call from someone and went out to checkout something.

Angel wanted to stay down and talk to Chloe, but he realized that this wouldn't be possible tonight. Lois was sticking to her cousin like glue, obviously frightened that the moment she let her out of her sight she'd disappear again, and Cordelia was commandeering both women's attention anyway.

With a sigh, the vampire went up to his room, knowing he'd have another restless night.

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"Thus I vowed to _never_ end up knocked up with demon spawn _ever_ again." Cordelia announced, finishing the shocking story of her demon pregnancy during the beginning of Angel Investigations.

Chloe's eyes widened. "I can't believe I was able to _forget_ all of those things!"

Lois was shocked herself. They'd been up for a couple of hours just listening Cordelia tell stories after stories about Sunnydale until they'd turned into the stories of how Angel Investigations had been started.

The brunette was still pissed off at Angel for obvious reasons, but she was also a little envious at the close relationship Cordelia painted between Chloe and the vampire. It was as if Chloe had replaced her family with him and she hadn't missed them---he'd been _enough_.

Pushing away those resentful thoughts and telling herself that it was enough just to have her cousin back with her, Lois concentrated on what Cordelia was saying.

"—for a reason." The dyed blonde was talking to Chloe. "Why?"

Her cousin ducked her gaze, blushing. "It—I needed to talk to someone about—about _Connor_."

Cordelia smiled in understanding. "_Oh_."

"Who is Connor?" Lois asked, not remembering having met anyone with that name tonight.

"Angel's son, born eight months ago but is around eighteen now---_long story_." Cordelia raised her hands as if saying 'another day—another story'. "He's also in love with Chloe, and she's in love with him."

"She is?" Lois gasped.

"I _am_?" Chloe's eyes were wide.

Cordelia paused, looking concerned. "I thought you'd figured it out already. Wasn't that why you wanted to talk to me tonight?"

Chloe ducked her gaze once more. "I—yes. I'm in love with him, and, and, he has feelings for me. But—but what were we before I lost my memory? I—we _kissed_, tonight, and---."

"_Awwwwww!_" Cordelia squealed, clapping her hands together. "You two _finally_ kissed! I've been waiting _months_ for that to happen! Fred's gonna be pissed because she still wants you and Angel to get back together, but unlike _her_ I know that you moved on long ago and that you and Connor are _perfect_ for each other!"

"She was with _Angel_?" Lois asked, horrified beyond hope.

Chloe looked just as surprised at that news.

"Well, not really." Cordelia amended, tapping her bottom lip thoughtfully. "She was, believe it or not, with _Angelus_. Despite everything, despite how much of a _bastard_ he was, she'd somehow fallen in love with him---and he with her."

"Why didn't you mention this in your stories about Sunnydale?" Chloe asked softly.

"Well, those stories were mostly after Angel returned from Hell, so you two weren't together because he'd gotten his soul and the soul was stupidly in love with Buffy—who'd sent him to hell in the first place." Cordelia responded. "You were never with Angel when he had his soul, you were only with him when he was Angelus, the soulless vampire that sired you."

Lois shook her head. "You have _horrible_ taste in men baby Cuz."

Chloe sighed as if in agreement before looking up. "But Connor—he and I?"

"Never done anything before tonight." Cordelia responded. "Not that I didn't try to hook you two up sooner though."

Lois watched Chloe and Cordelia talk and couldn't help but feel slightly resentful against the other woman. Chloe used to come to _her_ about her problems, but things had changed, and Lois was going to have to accept the changes if she wanted to become a part of the life Chloe had made for herself.

"We're---_in love_." Chloe whispered to herself, seemingly trying out the word for the first time, a small smile curving her lips.

Right then and there Lois decided that she loved this Connor dude because he could make her cousin smile like that.

The blonde stood. "I have to go find him, I—I hurt his feelings and he--."

The front door opened and the green _demon_ (Lois couldn't believe how her world had turned upside down after finding Chloe again!) skipped in, looking extremely pleased with himself. "Sweetcake! Don't say your Lorniekins doesn't love you!"

Chloe blinked, tilting her head slightly. "What do you mean?"

Lois just _stared_ at the demon, at his green skin, at the patches of red, and at the horns. She _really_ wanted to touch the horns and makes sure they weren't plastic despite the fact that she _knew_ they weren't.

This was just all so _unreal!_

_Lorne_ pulled out an opaque, ceramic bottle with a cork on the end, grinning brightly.

"Uh, nice bottle Lorne. I'm _sure_ it'll look nice decorating Connor and Chloe's lovenest." Cordelia announced cheekily.

Lorne made a face at Cordelia before returning his attention to Chloe. "_This_ is a memory spell—provided by one of my clients—that's guaranteed to bring our princess back the way she was before whatever happened to her happened."

"Guaranteed?" Chloe asked, excited.

"_Spell_?" Lois squeaked, not knowing why she found _spells_ so surprising in a world of vampires and demons.

"Yes shortcake, a spell." Lorne looked prouder by the minute.

"How do we know this is going to work and not blow up in our faces like spells usually do when we're involved?" Cordelia wanted to know, wary, folding her arms over her chest.

"_Puh-lese." _Lorne shook his hand at her. "This is _easy_. No pain—no side-effects. I'm telling you, there's no way this can fail!"

Of course, none of them knew how those words were going to come back to bite the green demon in his ass later that night.

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	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I do not own Smallville or Angel.**

Sorry for the late update.

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Lois Lane wondered once more at the life her cousin had made for herself. Up until a couple of hours ago vampires and demons and spells had seemed like only mythology to her, and yet here she was, standing next to Chloe, Cordelia, Gunn, Fred and Angel, observing the symbol Lorne had painted on the floor of the lobby.

The symbol was painted in thick white stroke in the form f a two-foot diameter circle with seven evenly spaced three-foot spokes coming off of it. Lorne was now placing bundles of magical supplies and candles in each section.

"I don't like this." Gunn frowned. "Symbols on the floor of this lobby _never_ mean anything good for us."

Lorne didn't look up from what he was doing. "Check your bad vibes at the door, pouty britches, this is for Chloe."

Gunn sighed and nodded. "Yeah, sorry."

Fred hugged him and turned to Lorne. "Are you _sure_ everything is going to work? We _do_ have a bad history when spells are involved."

"My parade is rain-proofed, baby doll." Lorne stood and backed away, admiring his work. "My first reading since I got a hole drilled, and I find a spell to bring our little Chloe right back to us." He grinned proudly. "_Lo-lath ch-owrng ne bruun._"

Lois raised an eyebrow, wondering exactly what the demon had just said. It definitely wasn't English, or _human_.

Fred smiled at Lorne. "_Kaya-no-m'tek_."

Lois looked at Chloe, about to ask her if she had any idea what they were saying to each other, but her blonde cousin seemed just as confused as she was.

"Did I miss the spell?" A new voice asked, causing Lois to turn in time to see a handsome man she'd never seen before with a scar down the side of his throat appear. He looked confused, narrowing his eyes slightly. "Did _English_ go away?"

Everyone looked surprised to see him, everyone but Lorne. "No, it's Pylean, crumpet. I said, "I may be prepared to shout a joyful chant"."

Fred seemed to be considering something before sharing a look with Gunn, nodding, and then turning to the newcomer and giving him a genuinely friendly smile. "And I said, "May your words please the gods."

Despite Lois' former curiosity, she now ignored everything the others were saying and just _looked_ at the man. He was _handsome_, amazingly so, and the scar on his throat only added to it. She found her throat suddenly dry, and had to remind herself to breathe when his sharp blue gaze turned to her.

"Ms. _Lane_?" His voice, completely British, was tinged in surprise.

"You—you _know_ me?" Lois asked, surprised.

"Yes indeed." He announced, coming down towards her and taking her hand, giving it a firm shake. "After I got to know _Chloe_ I researched her and her family and came across _you_. I'd never forget your face."

And Lois knew she was blushing.

_Dammit_.

"Well, you have me at a loss." Lois tried smiling at him. "You know who I am but I don't know who _you_ are."

He smiled. And it was _beautiful_. "Wesley Wyndam-Pryce at your service. Your cousin is my dearest friend." He turned his attention to Chloe and his smile was reassuring. "I know you can't remember me now, Chlo, but hopefully when this is over you will."

Her blonde cousin nodded and smiled.

Lois just couldn't tear her eyes from the Brit.

"Lets get this started." Lorne announced.

The seven of them sat each on one of the painted spokes of the symbol Lorne had painted earlier. They were holding hands, with candles lit in front of them. Chloe sat between Lorne and Angel, while Lois sat between Fred and Wesley Wyndam-Pryce, and she couldn't help but think that the beating of her heart had to do more with the fact that she was holding the Brit's hand rather than that she was about to participate in her first spell ever.

"Ok, eyes on the bottle." Lorne announced, referring to the bottle in the middle of the symbol, before beginning the chant. "We come in supplication and hope. _Bring her back_."

The bottle started to move, to dance around the center of the circle. Suddenly, magical amber light streamed out of the bottle, a trail of the amber light shooting into each of those sitting on the symbol, causing them to fall back on the ground, losing grip on each other's hands. Then the light stopped and the bottled fell over and spun in the corner of the circle.

Everything shifted, blurry, and Lois couldn't concentrate. She felt completely drugged, trance-like.

"What's going on?" Cordelia's voice was odd, sleepy-like.

"I feel a little…" Lorne began to crawl away.

Lois looked around, vision swerving, realizing that everyone seemed confused, entranced, or just plain _buzzed_. They broke the circle. Lorne crawled behind the counter and passed out.

"What's _happening_ to us?" Gunn asked, looking at his hands as if they were the most interesting things ever.

Angel somehow got to his feet and stumbled outside, leaving the others.

Inside, Fred was inspecting a houseplant quite caressingly. "This is important. It's so _beautiful_…" She then wretched inside of the plant's pot.

Gunn got to his feet and practiced martial arts moves, stumbling throughout most of them.

Lois threw her head back and laughed, beginning to undo the buttons of her shirt. It was horribly _hot_ in here anyway.

Wes was still sitting next to her. "We'll just wait to see if there are any side effects…" And then he burst into _giggles_.

"What's happening?" Chloe stood, stumbling. "We can't just…we have to…" Walking dizzily, the blonde smashed the bottle with her foot…and suddenly Lois realized she was on the floor of a strange place, unbuttoning her shirt.

The brunette's eyes widened and she sat up again, buttoning her shirt and looking around her, not recognizing anyone but her little cousin Chloe.

_Chloe_? Lois narrowed her eyes in confusion. _Why isn't she in Smallville?_

"What the _hell_ is going on here?" An older woman with short, dyed blonde hair growled, summoning Lois' own thoughts.

"What's your name?" A British voice asked.

Lois turned to the man sitting next to her and her eyes widened. _Yummy, yum yum._

The dyed blonde, now standing, frowned as if surprised he didn't know who she was. "I'm Cordelia Chase, dumbass. And if this is some sort of sophmore hazing prank where I get doped up and left with a bunch of proto-loser, then my parents are gonna be suing the _entire_ population of Sunnydale. _Comprendez_?"

Chloe made her way to Lois' side, helping her up, eyeing everyone else warily. "Lois, where are we?" She whispered.

"I have _no idea_." Lois whispered back. "But I doubt this is Smallville _or_ Metropolis."

"What the _hell_ are you talking about?" A handsome dark man asked the dyed blonde.

The woman turned on _him_. "It's called _kidnapping a minor_, hair club for men_._" She sneered. "And if you think for a second I'm gonna be putting up with this, well, you don't know Cordelia--." She paused when the doors opened and a handsome white male entered. "Cordelia…" She tried again, but her eyes were wide and on the male. "_Hello_ salty goodness."

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The one with the British accent had taken charge of the situation, and Chloe was glad. She was confused and irritated. Where was she and why was she there? Why didn't she have a good memory of what was going on? The last thing she remembered before waking up here was deciding in her room to sneak into a nightclub in Metropolis to investigate some suspicious murders happening there.

"All right. Hang on." The Brit turned to the dyed blonde with an attitude. "You're Cordelia Chase, you're a high school student and you live in Sunnydale. Is that correct?"

"Right." Cordelia nodded.

The Brit turned to Lois. "And you, miss?"

Was Lois _blushing_?

"Um, I'm Lois Lane, and I recently graduated from highschool in Metropolis."

"I'm Chloe Sullivan, high school student." Chloe answered when the Brit's eyes turned on _her_. "I live in Smallville."

"One from California, two from Kansas." He muttered to himself before turning to the dark man in their midst. "So. Who are _you_?"

The man narrowed his eyes. "I'm the guy that's gonna be kicking a whole mess of ass if somebody don't tell me what's going on."

Cordelia snorted. "What do they call you for short?"

The dark man glared at her.

She seemed completely unimpressed.

"Does anyone here recognize anyone?" The Brit asked, sighing with annoyance.

Chloe raised her hand, catching everyone's attention. "Lois is my first cousin on our mother's side."

There were murmurs at that.

The male that Cordelia had found so appealing had yet to come down the steps into the lobby. He crouched down, balanced on his tiptoes, and hugged his chest.

"Anyone else?" The Brit asked.

No body else recognized each other.

A skinny girl with dark hair spoke up. "I'm Fred Burkle." She turned to Cordelia. "I'm also in school in San Anton."

Cordelia snorted at that. "Oh, we're both I school. Oh, gosh, let's be best friends so I can lose all my cool ones."

The Brit narrowed his eyes at her. "There's no need to be snippety, Miss."

She narrowed her eyes in disgust at him. "This is a clarion call for snippety, Princess Charles."

"Will you just _shut up_ for once?" Lois snapped at Cordelia. "I know you like hearing the sound of your own voice, but it's annoying and nothing you say is constructive. At least _he_ is doing something _useful._"

Cordelia narrowed her eyes at Lois.

"Thank you." The Brit smiled at Lois. "And my name is Wesley Wyndam-Pryce." He grabbed his lapel and puffed up with pride. "I am from the Watcher's Academy in southern Hampshire. In fact, I happen to be head boy."

"Gee." Cordelia muttered. "I wonder how you earned _that_ nickname."

"I'm warning you." Lois growled.

Wesley didn't seem to realize the innuendo in what Cordelia had said because he just smiled at her and replied. "A lot of effort, I don't mind saying."

Chloe couldn't help but giggle.

The dark man suddenly sighed and folded his hands over his chest. "Gunn."

Wesley panicked, ducking, looking around him. "_Where_?"

"That's my _name_." Gunn replied with a roll of his eyes. "The short version."

"_Ah_." Wesley straightened up, clearing his throat. "What school do you attend?"

Gunn rolled his eyes again while Cordelia scoffed.

Cordelia, obviously deciding that Wesley wasn't worth her attention, went to the male sitting on the steps, smiling at him. "So we've heard form the socially handi-capable. What's _your_ story?"

"Mad." The man stood, pointing his finger at all of them. "You're all _mad_. These clothes. Your speech. This _place_." He paused, looking around him. "What land is this?"

Lois raised an eyebrow. "What 'land' is it supposed to be?"

"Yes," Wesley took a step closer. "Where do you hail from, friend?"

The male scoffed, making up his face in disgust. "I'm not your friend, you English _pig_. We never wanted you in Ireland. We don't want you _now_."

Gunn raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "You _Irish_?"

Cordelia made a face. "You don't _sound_ Irish."

The man scoffed. "For most certain, I sound exactly--." His eyes widened in shock and his hand went to his throat. "Something's wrong with my voice."

Wesley sighed. "Well, what's your name?"

"Liam." The man announced, his face growing concerned as he held his throat again at the sound of his non-Irish accent.

Cordelia took a look at him and then dismissed him, obviously his good looks weren't enough to keep her interested. "_Great_. We've all got names." She walked towards the door. "Bye, now."

"I wouldn't be so quick, Miss Chase, to leave." Wesley's voice stopped her. "Clearly, we're all victims of some nefarious scheme."

Liam, from where he was now sitting on the stairs, muttered to himself, obviously trying to figure out what'd happened to his accent. "_Liiiiaaaaammmm…"_

Wesley ignored him, pointing to the door. "I'll lay odds that that door is bolted shut. And who knows what peril lies outside it."

Liam was _still_ sitting on the stairs, muttering to himself. "English pig." He tried again when the voice was _still_ markedly American. "English pig?"

"Before we do anything, I suggest we gather as much information as we can." Wesley announced, grabbing his lapels once more.

Liam continued to ignore them. "_Liiiiiaaaammm…"_

"The important thing is to start with the facts." Wesley announced. "We're all from different cities, we're all of an age…" He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Judging from the amount of facial hair I've grown, we've all been unconscious for at _least_ a month."

Cordelia reached up and touched her short hairstyle, eyes going wide in horror. "Oh, God. Oh, God. My hair. _My hair_!" She started crying. "Whoever did this gave me _bad hair_!"

"Lois hair never used to be that dark either." Chloe pointed out the darker color before fingering her own hair, eyes widening as she realized that strands went passed her shoulders. "And mine isn't this long! My hair is _flippy_, hair this long doesn't _flip!_"

Wesley frowned. "Perhaps the whole point of this experiment is _hair_." He touched his chin stubble.

Gunn raised an eyebrow at Wesley before turning to the others. "I vote he's _not_ in charge."

"It's the devil." Liam whispered to himself before looking up, his voice growing stronger with his conviction. "It's the _devil_."

Cordelia was still crying. "My _hair_?"

Liam ignored that as he stood. "My father said I was a sinner…that I'd come to a bad end." His eyes widened. "Now I've come to _hell_."

Gunn snorted, looking around the place they were in. "Well, hell's a _lot_ nicer than _my_ place."

"I think it's a hotel." Lois announced. "This looks like a lobby."

"Maybe it's Motel Hell." Fred giggled and snorted.

Chloe raised an eyebrow at her before shaking her head and looking around, eyeing the odd symbol and stuff on the ground. "Well, wherever this is, we were supposed to be here. This was planned. Look at this symbol. This might be some satanic cult or something."

"Oh my god." Cordelia's eyes went open. "What if they're going to virgin sacrifice us or something?"

Fred whimpered.

Wesley turned to Gunn. "Let's get the lay of the place."

Gunn snorted. "Don't be giving me orders. I run my _own_ crew."

Wesley looked somewhat condescending with his smile. "I'm _sure_ your seafaring adventures are very interesting, but I have experience of things you couldn't imagine." He paused. "I'm not _head boy_ for _nothing_."

Gunn sneered, getting in his face. "You 'bout to be _headless boy_, you don't get out my face."

"Intimidation." Wesley uttered a nervous chuckle. "Points for effort." He pulled back a little. "Perhaps a little kar-ate technique will put you in your place."

Wesley then began a pretty bad demonstration of karate martial arts, impressing _no one_. During one of his moves he bent his wrist downwards and a dagger shot out of his forearm.

No one gasped in surprise as loud as _Wesley_ as he jumped back, staring at his forearm with large blue eyes.

"What the _hell_ was _that_?" Lois asked, going to inspect the thing sticking out from Wesley's forearm.

"A clue?" Wesley squeaked, obviously just as confused as the rest of them.

"Is that…a _wooden stake_ you got?" Gunn asked, all hostility gone, replaced with worry.

"Apparently, yes." Wesley frowned, worried as well. "Which changes the scenario quite a bit."

Fred tried karate moves of her own that were so horrible they made Wesley's seem like a masterful _art_. After a couple minutes of making herself look like a fool she stopped and inspected her hands, clearly disappointed. "I didn't get one."

"Nobody got one except English here." Gunn narrowed his golden eyes. "Why's that?"

"I don't know." Wesley admitted. "I suggest we look about for weapons of some kind though."

Gunn was silent before nodding. "Yeah, that part works."

Lois and Chloe nodded, going towards the stairs. Liam stayed where he was on the steps. Fred and Gunn walked around to the back of the front counter, while Cordelia stayed right where she was and Wesley tried to get the weapon on his forearm to go back to its hidden location.

Suddenly Fred screamed, and Wesley's concealed weapon started going haywire. A sword came out but it was too unwieldy for him.

"Aah!" Fred screamed.

"AAH!" Wesley screamed, finally getting his weapon under control, freezing. "All right. _Nobody_ scream. _Or_ touch my arms!"

"Are you alright?" Lois asked, hurrying down to his side, leaving Chloe on the steps with Liam.

Wesley looked up at Lois and nodded. "I'm just worried about moving and activating this contraption again."

"I, uh, I think I found another clue." Fred announced, looking down at something behind the counter.

"She ain't wrong." Gunn announced from behind her.

Cordelia hurried behind them and gave a little cry. "Ok, this is even _less_ funny. What the hell is _that_?"

Chloe and Liam exchanged a look before they hurried along everyone else to look behind the counter. There was a green _thing_ with horns passed out on the floor.

Chloe's eyes widened in shock.

_Oh my god._

"I _knew_ it." Liam announced from her side. "It's the _devil_."

Fred tilted her head to the side, frowning slightly, eyes on the creature. "Why is the devil _sleepy_?"

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"This ain't your business, kid!"

"No." Connor growled, grabbing the vampire and throwing it against the wall on to follow it, pinning it there, his clenched fist pounding mercilessly into its face. "This is my bad mood."

Sensing the vampire's friend hurrying towards him Connor jumped into the air and kicked both vampires in the face at the same time, sending them back. The one charging realized that it was no match for Connor and ran away, but the second was trapped, and Connor grabbed him by his lapel before throwing him against some garbage cans and pulling out a stake.

"_This_ is my business." He brought down the stake into the vampire's heart and watched as it exploded into dust, before turning to the woman the vampires had attacked. "Are you okay? Were you hurt?"

"They were gonna kill me." She said to herself, getting up from her hiding place. "_Bastards_."

Connor snorted. That sounded like something Chloe would have said. "Well, you're safe now." He turned to walk away, there was still a lot of anger in his system and he needed to find more vampires to dust before he'd be calmed enough to look for Chloe and take her back home.

"Whoa. _Hey_." The woman reached out and grabbed his arm, hurrying in front of him. "Baby, you saved my life." She smiled at him and touched his chest. "Don't you want your reward?" She leaned in so that they were face to face. "I can give you a _nice_ reward."

Connor raised an eyebrow at her, intrigued to realize that _no_, no other woman's touch made him feel _anything_. It was only _Chloe_'s.

"I already have a nice reward." He replied, stepping out from her embrace. "And she's all the reward I'll ever need."

The woman pouted. "You don't know what you're missing, kid."

"No, I _do_ know what I'm missing." He replied, suddenly realizing what he had to do. "And I'm going to get her back right _now_."

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They'd ducktaped the green thing to the lobby bench and then it'd all come out. Apparently there were vampires and demons in the world, and Gunn had been fighting them since he was 12 and Wesley was studying in a school that taught him all about them. He'd identified the demon as some long name Chloe wasn't even going to begin try and remember, and then a fight had broken out between Wesley and Gunn as to leadership.

The fight had been horribly pathetic and Lois and Cordelia had ended it by both hitting the men in the back of their heads, causing the males to pull apart and _whine_ at the pain. Right after that Fred and Liam found a weapon's cabinet, and Wesley had explained what he thought was really happening.

This was some sort of _test_ by the Watchers Association. They'd put people with a deadly vampire in the house and the people had to either kill the vampire or get killed.

When Cordelia had wanted to know why they shouldn't be leaving Liam had had the answer. Obviously they'd been changed somehow. People's hair and accents were different, and as Fred had pointed out, Chloe was the only one who could still pass for a teenager, everyone else looked in their early twenties.

They'd then decided to split into three groups, each with a male a female. Gunn and Fred went one way, Wesley and Lois the other, and Liam and Chloe headed upstairs. They'd gone to check some rooms and then Liam had gone to the bathroom and things had been odd.

He'd been making odd sounds in that bathroom, had muttered a little panicky that he was invisible, and then he'd locked the door to make sure she couldn't go in after him.

"Are you okay, Liam?" Chloe asked, feeling worried.

"Yes—yes, of certain." But his voice was wobbly.

He later came out and they ventured downstairs to join the others only to have Liam run out on them with a hurried goodbye. And then he was back, rushing forwards, closing the door behind him and crying out about numerous noisy, shinning demons being outside.

Fred had then asked if the vampire wasn't supposed to be looking for _them_ instead of them looking for _it_---which was a really good question and should have been obvious to them from the beginning.

And that was when Wesley let them in on his newest theory.

The vampire was one of _them_.

That was when the demon woke up---and everything went to _hell_. One minute the demon was talking to them as if he _knew_ them, and then he pointed out Liam as the vampire, and when Liam's punch sent the demon and the chair flying across the room there was no turning back.

At first Liam had claimed that he didn't want to hurt anyone, but then Wesley shot a stake through his stomach and Gunn charged with the axe. Liam turned and fought Gunn, throwing him against the wall, knocking the black man out before turning to Wesley.

"If it's a vampire you all want, then it's a vampire you'll get." He announced, cracking his neck. "I'll feed from _all_ of your bodies---starting with the women."

"Ladies." Wesley had announced, weapon out. "_Run_."

And they had. They'd all taken off in different directions and Chloe had lost track of the others. She didn't know where they were or what they were doing or if they were even safe.

Chloe hurried into a storage room, feeling him behind her. She didn't know _why_ she could feel him so easily, but she ducked behind a container.

"You're good." Liam announced as he came down the stairs into the darkness of the room. "Move swift like the wind and silent like shadows, but _I can feel you_."

Her eyes widened from where she hid.

So this connection was _two-sided_?

Why _was_ that?

"You know, you give me a hunger unlike the one when I look at everyone else's neck." He declared, voice closer, footsteps sounding louder. "It's _different_."

Chloe gulped and closed her eyes tightly.

"Why don't you come out from behind that box? You look uncomfortable."

His voice was right above her.

Eyes flying open, Chloe looked up and saw him sneering at her. She tried to scurry away but he reached down and grabbed her, pulling her out and pinning her to the wall.

Chloe screamed at the pain in the back of her head as it collided with the wall, the scent of her blood saturating the air. "Let _go_ of me!" She tried to kick, hit, _scratch_ him somehow, but it was impossible.

He was just _too_ strong for her.

And there was something, _something_ that told her he wouldn't hurt her.

And how _stupid_ was that?

"I like you." Liam announced, face changing before her eyes, fangs descending. "I think I'll change you, make you one like me. You'll be Eve to my Adam."

Chloe's eyes narrowed and she snapped her teeth at him, feeling a tingling in her gums, wondering why those now golden eyes widened in shock.

"You---you're like _me_." He whispered in awe.

Chloe froze. "_What_?"

Liam supported her whole weight in one hand and brought the other to her mouth.

Chloe bit down _hard_ on the digit, eyes widening when his blood spurted into her mouth and it was _familiar_. She _knew_ that taste.

"My my." Liam chuckled, pulling his finger from her mouth when she let go, admiring the fangs marked in his finger and showing it to her. "My little kitten has claws of her own."

"_No_." Chloe whispered. "I'm _not_ your kitten! I'm _not_ like you!"

He sneered. "Then let me fix that." And with that he leaned forwards and bit down savagely on her throat.

A scream pierced the air and Chloe bucked, trying to get him off of her, screamed for help, for _someone_, and then someone rushed Liam, the surprise attack causing him to release his hold on her and sending him across the room.

Chloe collapsed to the ground, shivering, hand to her profusely bleeding.

"Yes! That one!" Wesley hurried down the stairs, tripping, and tumbling the rest of the way down. "Kill that one please!"

The newcomer, a young male, glared angrily at Liam and when the vampire charged, he threw him through the window, making him land on the floor below, the kitchen.

He then went down on his knees in front of Chloe, blue eyes worried, angry. "Are you alright? Why did he attack you?"

Chloe shivered, looking up at him, frightened. She felt him pulling at the hand she had on her neck, and she let him pull it away so that he could examine the bite.

"The _bastard_." He hissed. "He had no _right_ to bite you like that! You're all torn open!"

Chloe closed her eyes, knowing she was somehow going into shock. The last thing she remembered before blacking out was his worried blue eyes and his voice calling her name.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When Chloe woke up, she was in pain, and had a bad taste in her mouth. Memories flooded back into her mind of her past, of her present, and of what'd happened that night. She jolted into a sitting position and cried out at the searing pain in her neck.

The door to her room flew open and Connor and Angel hurried inside, followed by the rest of the Fang Gang.

"Chloe?" Angel asked, voice worried, eyes dark with guilt.

Connor was by her side in a second, pulling her gaze back to him. "You are awake."

She smiled slightly at him. "I'm sorry about what I said. I was, I was nervous."

Connor seemed confused as to what she was talking about before he suddenly grinned and shook his head.

"So you remember everything?" Cordelia asked, from where she was standing between Fred and Gunn.

"Yeah." Chloe nodded, then frowned. "How exactly did I get my memory back anyway?"

"Lorne here made this _thing_ that tasted horrible, but returned our memories to us." Lois announced. "He fed some to you while you were unconscious."

So _that_ was the taste in her mouth.

Chloe, suddenly remembering her cousin, turned to the brunette with tears in her eyes. "_Lois_…"

Lois cleared her throat, eyes suspiciously moist as well. "Me too, Baby Cuz."

"We should all let Chlo rest." Wesley announced softly.

Everyone filed out of the room, Angel and Connor the only ones left.

"_Chloe_…" Angel's voice cracked with emotion, eyeing her bandaged neck with dark guilt. "I'm so sorry." He closed his eyes. "If Connor hadn't arrived I---."

"I would have been fine." Chloe smiled at him, reaching up for his hand. She squeezed it once the vampire held hers. "Now go, I need some sleep and I won't be able to do it with you brooding next to me."

Angel nodded, and hesitated, before leaving the room.

"How can you forgive him so _easily_?" Connor asked, voice dark, head bowed, hair falling into his face.

"Because I love him." Chloe responded, reaching out and touching Connor when he froze at that. "I love _everyone_ here and would forgive them anything, you included."

He looked at her hand, which was resting on his.

Chloe smiled softly at him. "Thank you, Connor."

He looked up in surprise. "For what?"

"You're always there when I need you." She squeezed his hand. "You're my champion."

A faint blush crossed his cheeks before he smiled at her.

Suddenly a jolt of fear entered her body and a flash of heat, painful heat and ugly eyes raced across her mind before it was gone.

Chloe's eyes widened.

What was that?

Why had it seemed so familiar?

Had she seen it before?

"Chloe?" Connor asked, worried.

All of a sudden, she didn't feel so safe here anymore. "Connor," she tightened her hold on his arm. "Can you take me back home?"

For a minute Connor seemed confused, and then he smiled.

-------------------------------------------------------------

**An update.**

**Miracles DO happen!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: I do not own Smallville or Angel**

SO SORRY for how long this update has taken! *wonders if anyone is even reading this anymore*

Wanna thank **violent-smurf, Hikari Sakura chan, Duffster21, Stephycats7785, drummercc, ElizabethV, stsword, Hopelessly Pessimistic, NiminariAmriath, Veronica, Lora, Lizzy likes the hot guy, Thenchick, BangelBangelusFan **and **medusasaphoenix** for reviewing the previous chapter.

* * *

Things at the Hyperion were tense over the next couple of days.

Gunn grabbed a battleaxe in the lobby while Angel walked down the stairs with Lorne following him, talking emphatically.

"No." Angel announced, shaking his head, determined.

"Why?" Lorne pressed, continuing to follow him.

"_No_." Angel refused to say more than that.

"_Why_?" The green empath demon was determined.

"I said NO." Angel turned to the demon, annoyed that he wasn't dropping this. The vampire wasn't in the mood to have this conversation, not now, maybe not _ever_.

"I said _why_." Lorne pressed on, obviously not smart enough to start fearing for his life by pissing a pissy vampire. "Now, let's meet in the middle with a 'why no?'."

Angel sighed, looking at his good friend, remembering all he had had to go through, and thus calmed himself down. "It's too soon." He turned and walked to the front desk.

"But she got her memory back." Lorna hounded him like a dog after a meaty bone. "Aren't you a weensy bit curious if Chloe remembers anything about why she lost her memory? Or, say, maybe if she knows something about the thing-a-ma-bad that Wolfram and Hart sucked outta my noggin?"

"We need to give her time to adjust before we start coming at her with a million questions." Angel tried to busy himself by clearing the already tidy desk. "She's---she's obviously been through something really bad and all of our questions..."

"How 'bout only asking her one question?" Lorne wanted to know. "One's good."

"In a couple of days, when she's more herself and back here where she belongs." Angel was adamant about this, a muscle jumping in his cheek as once more he was reminded of the fact that Chloe's scent was fading from the Hyperion. Before, it'd saturated every wall, every material, lending Angel the calming sense he always got from just her _scent_, and yet it was now gone, and Angel wasn't coping very well with the loss. He was edgy, irritable, and maybe a _little_ violent on the _very_ few jobs they'd had since Chloe had decided that even though she had her memory back she preferred staying with _Connor_.

Lorne sighed and turned to Gunn and Fred. "Chime in any time."

"Would love to." Fred announced from where she was with Gunn at the weapons cabinet, picking out weapons.

"Really." Gunn agreed.

"We got a case." Fred continued.

"Need some backup?" Angel looked up, hopeful. If there was something he could beat to a pulp and let go of some of this frustration he was _so_ there!

"Nah." Gunn shook his head. "Woman out in Hancock Park's hearing spookies in her pipes." He paused, looking at the weapon in his hand contemplatively. "Don't know whether to bring my axe...or a _plunger_." With a shake of his head, he and Fred left to battle the evil toilet...or whatever it was that was causing the sounds at their client's home.

For a moment Angel was disappointed, then, feeling Lorne's gaze on him he turned to the green demon. "See? Worst thing we got going on is a haunted toilet, so let's give Chloe a little space. It's not like the world's gonna end right this second."

* * *

Watching a movie in the room that Chloe had decided was _theirs_, the blonde watched as the monster chased around some bimbo Chloe decided _deserved_ to be eaten. The idiot had made every mistake in the manual, and Chloe couldn't stand idiots. Also, she was in a _very_ rotten mood these days, so when the monster fell upon the woman and began to eat her alive Chloe felt _vindicated_ in a _that's what you get_ kinda way.

"I've got you chochodiles. And some other stuff."

She looked up, surprised to see Connor returning so soon. "What?"

He walked over to the bed and sat down on it. "Do you want something else? I could---."

"No. These are great." Chloe decided, reaching for one of the packs and opening it with a small smile towards him.

It was...she wasn't sure if she was handling this situation right.

But she did know _one_ thing though.

She was in love with Connor.

And he was in love with her.

She paused,

Okay, maybe that was _two_ things.

But they tied into _one_ big truth.

Chloe contemplated, as she had these last couple of days, on how she and Connor needed to _talk_ about this. They---they'd had that kiss when she'd been amnesiac, and that was _it_. After she'd regained her memory she'd returned here with him, the only place she felt safe, and things had gone back to the way they'd been before.

Sure, there was tension, but now that Chloe thought about it, there'd_ always_ been tension between her and Connor.

It was a sexual tension, deep and strong and it was going to explode any day now.

That was why Chloe knew that they needed to talk about this _thing_ they had between them, what it meant to them, and what they were going to do about it.

Also, she was going to have to talk to _Angel_ about it, and she wasn't looking forward to telling Angel that she'd fallen in love with his _son._

Suddenly, Chloe realized that _this_ must be what a young man felt like when going to the father of his girlfriend asking permission for her hand in marriage.

And not only did she have this to worry about, but she now had Lois dropping by to visit _constantly_.

It wasn't that she wasn't happy having her cousin back with her---because she _was_---but it didn't look like Lois was going to forgive her any time soon for not telling her that she had been alive all this time. And Lois _also_ seemed to believe that if she didn't keep a close eye on Chloe that the girl might just disappear again.

And that made Chloe feel hella guilty.

The interesting thing, though, was that Lois and Connor had _bonded_.

They'd kinda threatened and glared at each other about hurting Chloe and then had just _smirked_ at each other and had been best friends ever since.

Chloe knew doom when she saw it, and Lois bonding with Connor just spelled it out for her.

Also, the fact that neither Connor nor Lois had much love for Angel seemed to have been a strong reason for this comradeship.

Chloe sighed.

As _if_ she needed more trouble.

There was the fact that she didn't remember _why_ she'd lost her memory in the first place...and also the fact that she couldn't get that _creature_ out of her mind.

"Whatcha watching?" Connor asked, breaking her out of her thoughts.

"Some old movie." Chloe shrugged. "I don't remember...but because I saw it when I was a kid...not because of some magic or amnesia or anything."

He nodded, seeming amused that she'd thought it necessary to tell him that last part.

Chloe sighed and turned off the television. "Don't worry. I'm not gonna turn into Amnesia Action Figure Chloe again." She pouted, looking at her ice cream treat.

"She wasn't so bad." Connor announced oddly, looking down at his feet.

Chloe sent a look in his direction, wondering what he meant by that, before shaking her head and snorting. "Yeah, a reel hoot too, with the panicking and the screaming and running around like a nut." She took a bite out of the ice cream and gave a groan of appreciation. "Mmmm...I love these."

"Yeah, I know." Connor smiled crookedly.

She returned it after swallowing. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." He turned in the bed so that he was completely facing her.

"Not just for the ice creamy goodness." Chloe turned towards him as well, needing him to understand what she was trying to say. "Thank you for...God, thanks for _everything_. I don't know...I don't know what I would have without you, Con."

"Panic, scream, nut." He replied teasingly, though he smiled so happily and tenderly at her as he teased.

"I did." Chloe nodded, agreeing completely. She then sighed, looking away, not even paying attention to her Chocodile anymore.

Connor frowned as the change took over her face. He went over to her and knelt in front of the blonde, touching her knee. "You should rest."

"I'm ok." She whispered.

Connor tenderly brushed hair from her face. "You haven't slept since you came back."

"I know." She looked down into his worried face, hating herself for putting that expression there. "It's just that every time I close my eyes, I..."

"What?" He narrowed his eyes, looking ready to destroy anything for her sake.

"I see _it_." Chloe whispered, finally able to talk about it, only now, only to him. "Something horrible moving deep down, clawing its way up."

"It's just a dream." Connor cupped her cheek.

"I can _taste_ the blood of all the people it's going to kill, smell the burning flesh."

"It's okay." Connor's thumb caressed the skin of her cheek. "You're safe with me."

"No one's safe." Chloe insisted, needing him to know this. "Don't you understand that? It's coming, and no one can stop it! I wanna warn Angel, but the words won't come out." She looked away, knowing her distress was visible on her face. "Why can't I tell him? I feel it. The thing in my dreams...it's _real_, and it's almost here."

Connor stood.

She looked up, needing him to understand.

But suddenly the one standing before her wasn't Connor, instead it was a beastly demon.

The one haunting her.

"I know." The beast spoke before grabbing her throat, and that was the moment Chloe gasped, waking up from her nightmare.

Connor, hearing her cry of terror, rushed into the room, going towards her. "What is it?"

"Oh, G--." Chloe was grasping at her throat, heart racing, horror in her soul.

"Are you all right?" Connor knelt in front of her. "Chloe!"

She couldn't speak, couldn't---couldn't say _anything_.

In the end the blonde sobbed wordlessly and threw herself down on the ground at Connor, and his arms went around her tightly.

* * *

Cordelia sat at the front desk, manning the phones with Lorne, eyes wide. "Snakes? Uh-huh. And they came out of your what? OK, Ok....um, well...did they get up there themselves, or is this part of a, you know, a _thing_?" She laughed nervously. People had some _really_ odd kinks, it didn't hurt to ask. "No, I'm not judging." She put the phone to his chest, turning to Angel. "Do we fight snakes?"

Angel was sitting on the chair in the lobby, polishing his sword. "Only if they're giant. Or demons. Or giant demons." He turned to face Cordelia. "Are they giant demon snakes?"

"Well..." The young woman hesitated. "Unless this guy's 30 feet tall, I'm thinking they're of the garden variety."

"Oh." Angel sighed, disappointed. "They could still be demonic." He stood, eager. "Are they making any kind of demony sounds?"

She shook her head.

Angel sighed.

* * *

"The noises are _horrible_." The rich, blonde client announced. "The thumping, the groaning---it's impossible to sleep at night."

"How long as this been going on?" Gunn wanted to know as they stood in the hallway of the _mansion_.

"Uh, a week, maybe." The housewife replied.

"Good." Fred smiled. "If it's a haunting, the longer a specter inhabits an area, the harder it is to convince them to leave."

"Yep." Gunn nodded. "Casper's dealing with the big boys now. We're very persuasive."

"Anything you can do about that terrible room." The client whispered. "I'll be in the kitchen." She turned and walked away hurriedly.

Gunn watched her go before turning to Fred. "You ready?"

"Is _no_ an acceptable answer?" The young Texan wanted to know.

"In this business?" Gunn raised an eyebrow. "_Always_." With battleaxe ready, Gunn opened the door to one of the client's bathrooms. It was huge (something on the order to 10'x15') and was luxuriously decorated. There was a huge spa tub at the back of the room, rich wood cabinets, and a double vanity. Gunn whistled as he looked around. "Man, look at this place."

"A family of _four_ could live in here." Fred agreed, in awe.

"With room for Uncle Lester." Gunn snorted. "Man, marble countertops, whirlpool tub, bidget..." He smiled. "Its the kind of place I imagine us moving into one day."

Fred smirked at him. "You've imagined _bidgets_?"

He pouted at her. "Forget that part."

Fred looked about to tease him further when suddenly the pipes started to _groan_. "Okay. _That_'s not the bidget."

"Where's it coming from?" Gunn asked, starting to look around.

"Um, _everywhere_?" Fred twirled around slowly, as they seemed to be surrounded by the sound. "Maybe we should've brought a priest."

Gunn listened near the sink. "Or some consecrated Drano." He paused. "I think it's stopped."

Suddenly the mirrored medicine cabinet broke above the sink, revealing _rats_.

They were everywhere now, dozens of them in the cabinet, coming up through the drain, in the tub, on the floor.

"These aren't ghosts!" Fred gasped, eyes going wide. "These _definitely_ aren't ghosts!"

"Well, they're gonna be." Gunn predicted.

Fred, not waiting around for that, turned and tried to leave through the door, but it wouldn't budge. "It's not opening!"

Gunn turned and hurried towards his girlfriend, trying the door's handle as the rats continued to multiply at rapid and ridiculous speed.

The handle wouldn't budge.

"Oh fuck this." Gunn announced, kicking the door down, before hurrying out with his girlfriend, meeting up with the house wife, who'd come running at the sound of her door being broken down. "You might want to look into an exterminator." He announced, as the flood of rats scurried out after them.

With a scream, the house wife beat everyone out of the house, making excellent time.

* * *

"No, I'm not saying I had a _bug_ in my apartment. I said a had a _swarm_ of bugs in my apartment." Lois explained as if to a child as she rested her feet up on Wesley's coffee table. "As in an _apartment building_ in which not _one_ bit of floor didn't have those _crunchables_ on it."

Wesley frowned as he knocked Lois' legs off of his coffee table. "That is...unusual."

"And _disgusting_." Lois put her feet right back up. "So I grabbed my stuff and I came here. I wasn't about to stay with the _others_, and Chloe and Connor are either doing the dirty or about to, and I don't need to butt into their near marital bliss. So I thought, Wesley Wyndam-Price _owes_ me big time for knowing about me and _never_ telling me my cousin was alive. So he couldn't _possibly_ refuse to put me up until my apartment is plague-free."

Wesley raised an eyebrow at her. "About that. _How_ did you know where I lived again?"

She smirked. "You investigated me, I investigated you. Fair turnabout."

The watcher had to nod his agreement to that.

"So..." Lois looked him up and down. "This thing about you being _head boy_..."

* * *

Angel was inspecting the weapons in the weapons cabinet and Lorne and Cordelia were working the phones, trying to deal with the never ending ringing, when Gunn and Fred came in.

"You two!" Lorne pointed at them. "Phones. Help. _Now_."

The couple shared an amused look before going to help the green empathy demon by each answering a phone.

Lorne took the opportunity to rush out from behind the desk and head to where Angel was. "Business is really humming. Huh?"

"Yeah, word of mouth. I guess word got around that I'm back." His gaze were on the weapons. "You think I should keep these alphabetical, or rearrange them by how much damage they inflict?"

Lorne thought about it for a second. "Damage. Nomenclature goes out of the portal when, uh, hacking's afoot."

"Still, good to know what you're using." Angel pressed, still not sure. "I mean, what if I'm fighting a Glurgg, and I ask for a Khopesh to finish him off. What would you throw me?"

"Uh, a _towel_." Lorne sniffed. "Glurggs are 90 percent _pus_. Yeah, uh, not speaking of sticky fluids, maybe we should get some help around the office. A certain somebody who seems to be somewhat connected with all of this. Who could tell me what got hoovered out of my head." He paused. "Uh, name started with a _C_."

Angel looked up. "Connor."

Lorne made a face. "_No_, I was leaning towards a sweet little cinna-bun, but---_oh_." The demon stopped when he noticed Connor walking into the lobby.

"_Hey_." Angel went towards his son, wishing things weren't so horribly _awkward_ amongst them.

"Hey." Connor took in a deep breath, looking wary.

"It's okay. The spell wore off." Angel announced for lack of anything else to say. "Thanks for not letting me...for protecting Chloe."

"She's staying with me now." Connor looked up at Angel warily. "You know that, right?"

"Yeah, that's, uh, good." Angel looked away, clearing his throat. "She needs a place she can feel safe, it will give her a chance to work things out." He returned his gaze to his son. "A couple of days and everything will be back to the way it was."

Connor looked away at that, a muscle in his cheek jumping. "You should talk to her."

"Oh, _hallelujah_!" Lorne announced from where he was blatantly listening in on the conversation.

"Now's not a good time." Angel ran his hand over his hair. "After everything she's been through, the last thing she needs is---."

"_Dad_," Connor using that word just _proved_ to everyone how serious he was about this. "_Please_."

* * *

"I'm gonna _kill_ him." Chloe decided, looking up from her place on the bed when Connor and Angel entered the room.

Angel walked towards her while Connor hung back. "He's just worried about you. We all are."

"Is that the royal we or the populous?" Chloe asked, trying to stall this as long as possible.

"I always wanted to be a prince." Angel gave her a small smile as she sat down next to her, holding her hand. "I hear you gotta be born into it."

Chloe smiled, feeling all of her anxiousness melt out of her. "How do you do that?"

"What?" The vampire asked, smiling back at her.

"Make everything feel like its not spiraling apart." Chloe answered, not noticing as Connor stalked out of the room.

Angel's smile grew more tender. "It's just a special ability I honed from you."

Chloe tightened her hold on Angel's hand, only now realizing just how much she'd missed him and his presence. For so many years Angel had been her only constant, her only anchor, her only---her _everything_...and having been separated from him had been _hard_. No one knew her better than Angel did. No one. No one knew how to hold her or touch her or what to say when she was feeling this way. So while she was a little annoyed that Connor had gone against her will and brought Angel here, she was also relieved and grateful, because he'd known that this was what she needed and he'd done it for her.

"We've missed you, at the Hyperion." Angel lowered his gaze, thumb caressing the skin of her hand. "_I_ have missed you."

"I miss you all as well."

"Then come back with me." Angel looked up at her, eyes pleading. "Thats your home, there with me and the others. We're your family. I---I understand that you needed some time to yourself, but Chloe, its not the same without you I---I don't know how to _function_ without you."

"You were functioning for hundreds of years without me." Chloe reached for him, brushing his hair tenderly out of his face. "You can survive with me living in a different building. And anyway, as soon as I feel up to it I'll be back there working. I can't get rusty, now, can I?"

"Working." Angels gaze lowered once more. "Chloe..." He sighed and looked around the room. "Chloe. This isn't your home. This isn't where you belong. You _have_ a home. _Both_ you and Connor do. I want you _both_ back at the Hyperion where we can all be together." He tightened his grip on her hand. "Where we can be a _family_ like we always should have been."

"And we _will_ be, in _time_." Chloe promised him. "But Connor's not ready for it, you and I both know this. He isn't ready to go back to the Hyperion, and I won't go back until he's ready."

Angel looked at her in silence.

"Angel, you have Lorne and Cordy and Gunn and Fred...Connor only has me. And I'm not going to leave him alone anymore." She gave Angel a little smile. "And anyway, I just finished unpacking everything he brought over for me. The place is looking a bit more _homey_ now."

Angel nodded, looking around the room before raising an eyebrow at the wall with the pictures. "Why don't you have any pictures of me?"

"Connor said he couldn't find any." Chloe admitted.

Angel looked at her. "Did he now..."

She nodded before suddenly her heart started to race, her breathing went ragged, and Angel's face disappeared from view. Suddenly Chloe was standing, watching as the Beast came out of the earth.

And then the vision was gone, and Chloe was in the bedroom once more, with Angel and Connor hovering over her, worried sick. "He's coming." She whispered, terrified. "He's coming _now_!"

Connor narrowed his eyes. "This is not good."

Angel frowned, looking from one to the other. "Who is coming? The thing Connor said you've been having nightmares about?"

Chloe nodded, heart still racing, feeling somewhat faintish. "He's coming _now_. And it won't stop---not until we're all _dead_."

"You should let her rest." Connor told Angel, back to him, as he leaned towards Chloe. "Lay down a bit."

"I'm okay." She tried to assure him.

"You're too pale, your heart's racing too rapidly." Connor sat down on the edge of the bed next to her, slowly easing her down so that she was laying down on the bed.

"Stop worrying so much about me." And yet she was smiling up at him.

Connor snorted. "As if that were possible."

Angel looked between them both before clearing his throat. "What can you tell me about this beast you've been seeing?"

Chloe tore her gaze from Connor to look at Angel. "Big, powerful, clawing its way up through the bowels of the earth to slaughter us all..."

"Did you see anything that could give us a location?" The vampire pressed.

Chloe shook her head. "Sorry. Visions---that was my first. This is usually _Cordy's_ gig, not mine."

"I know." Angel nodded. "And Connor's right. You should sleep."

"About Lois..." Chloe started.

"She's safe." Connor replied. "While you were sleeping she came over and said that if we needed to see her to go to Wesley's house. Apparently something has happened to her abode and she has moved in temporarily with him."

Chloe blinked. "Wow. _That_ was fast."

Connor looked confused as to what she was talking about.

Angel cleared his throat. "I'm going to go find out what we're up against."

"Angel!" Chloe called when he turned to leave.

He turned back to her.

"Be careful."

He smiled.

* * *

Angel wasn't smiling.

He'd gone to Wolfram and Hart and after breaking into Lilah's office, torturing Gavin a bit for information, and then talking to Lilah herself, he'd realized that Wolfram and Hart had nothing to do with the Beast, they didn't know what it was _either__,_ and that they were _scared_. When evil was scared...things were _bad_. They'd tried getting their psychic to decipher what they'd taken out of Lorne's head, but every time they'd peeled back a layer, their brains had ended up decorating the walls. Whatever Lorne had Seen in Chloe's session was _heavily _protected.

Given the fact that they hadn't been able to figure out anything on their own and they were _frightened_, Angel had managed to get Lilah to hand him over the almost undecipherable pages of glyphs and such they'd gotten from Lorne's head, and he'd headed back to the Hyperion, where he'd been surprised to see Wesley and Lois standing and talking along with Lorne, Fred and Gunn...the telephones gone _wild_.

Apparently Wesley had realized the increase in paranormal activity -- birds, rats, _insects -- _and had decided that it would be better to pool their resources to try and figure out what was going on. And Lois...Lois had decided to come along for the ride.

They'd gotten together and sat down, leaving the answering machines to deal with the phone calls, all looking down at the papers that were spread across the coffee table. Said paper were completely covered in mystical symbols, and there were hundreds of those sheets of paper.

"So all this came out of my head?" Lorne asked, holding some papers. "No wonder it made me greener."

"If Wolfram and Hart hadn't extracted it, you'd be a paler shade of _dead_." Angel announced from where he was pacing.

"Yeah, well, remind me to send 'em a fruit basket." He sipped his cocktail as the phone rung. "Mm. Saved by the continuous bell." He stood, walking to the front desk.

"You've been logging the calls, right?" Lois asked, causing everyone to look at her.

"Every last squishy one." Lorne nodded.

Lois paused before looking around them. "Does anyone have a _map_?"

"There's a couple in Angel's office." Gunn answered.

"Good." Lois nodded. "Grab one and start marking the locations on the calls." The brunette ordered. "See if they're concentrated in any one area." She turned to Wesley. "Whatever's happening, whatever Lorne saw in Chloe's future, the answers are in these pages. We _need_ to figure it out."

Wesley looked at her silently before nodding.

* * *

Chloe paced back and forth, back and forth.

She---she couldn't just _stay here_ and do _nothing_.

Turning to leave, she gave a little gasp when Connor seemed to cut her off from out of nowhere. "It must be genetic."

"What?" Connor asked.

"Sneaking up on people." She explained, running a hand over her hair. "Your dad's an expert."

"I was just making a sweep." Connor ignored the mention of Angel, eyes narrowing. "Where were you going?"

"I've been inside all day." Chloe started, knowing he wouldn't like it if she told him the truth. "Thought I would take a walk, clear the cobwebs, recharge the battery." She stopped a beat at the look on his face. "Okay, stop with the look. I'm getting a stronger feeling."

"About the vision." Connor didn't have to ask.

"Yeah." She nodded, looking around their room. "Flashes, images, tugging at me, pulling..."

"Where?" He asked, eyes narrowed.

"I don't know." The blonde admitted as she reached for her sais. "Maybe where this thing's gonna jack-in-the-box."

"So you were going to face it by yourself." Connor's voice was dark and displeased.

"I don't _know_ what I was going to do." She sighed, unable to look him in the eye. "But I can't stay here. I just _can't_. Maybe in another lifetime, but it's _my_ future. I'm connected to this thing somehow, aren't I? It made me lose my memories for some reason, and then Lorne saw it in my future and the Wolfram and Hart stole it from Lorne...but it's _my_ future. I _have_ to be there."

"I know." Connor replied.

"And with this vision..." Chloe continued. "All I can think is _why_? Why _me_?"

"Because you're important." Connor answered without thought.

She snorted. "Oh, yeah. The world would stop turning without me."

Connor looked away, silent for a moment. "You're important to _me_."

She froze, eyes widening and blush appearing on her cheeks.

Wow.

This---this was as close to a confession as they'd gotten!

"You---" she cleared her throat and looked down. "You're important to me too, Con." The blonde reached over and threaded her fingers through his, knowing she wasn't really good with words but hoping that, if only for now, this was enough.

His hand tightened around hers, and Connor pulled her towards him in a hug, pressing his lips down against the top of her head. "You need to do this. I understand this. But _you_ need to understand that I am here to protect you, Chloe. You can always rely on me to provide for you and to protect you. It is my purpose, my desire."

"I know." She whispered against his shirt, cheeks burning, smile tilting her lips. "And---and it makes me happy to know that."

They were silent, just holding each other, before finally pulling apart, Chloe following her instincts and Connor following Chloe. They walked in silence in the darkness, ready for anything, until suddenly Chloe stopped.

Connor turned towards her, frowning. "What is it?"

"This place." Chloe looked around her, confused and disoriented. "I've been here before."

"In your vision?"

"No, I---." She stopped walking, eyes going wide. "Oh my god. _Darla_."

Connor froze at the name. "My mother."

"She died here." Chloe whispered, turning to him. "Connor. This is where you were _born_."

Something suddenly burst up from the ground in front of the, surrounded in red light. It had two enormous horns on top of its head, and it was a hulking beast.

"_You_." Chloe whispered in horror, taking a step back from the creature who had haunted her mind these last couple of days.

Connor charged at the demon with his sword, but the beast merely threw him across the alley into the side of a steel dumpster.

"Connor!" Chloe cried, worried about him, giving a little gasp as the beast grabbed her by the throat, lifting her several feet into the air to its eye level. It stared into her face and she found that she couldn't scream or thrash, only able to stare back at it in fear.

Connor ran to her aid, attacking the beast again.

The creature put down Chloe and easily threw Connor across the alley once more.

"_No_!" Chloe cried out, but forced herself to look away from the battered young man and looked up at the beast as it walked towards her on its hoofed feet. She tried to crawl away from it backwards on her back, but she couldn't get away from it. Where the beast had held her neck before, the skin was red and torn.

From the other side of the alley, Connor stood weakly, yet eyes dark with rage. "Stay _away_ from her!"

The beast looked at Connor, then at Chloe, and then laughed.

With a single effort, the creature jumped up to the top of the nearby five story tall building.

"_Connor_." Chloe got up and hurried towards him.

* * *

The gang were still on the couches, trying to decipher the data contained in the papers on the table in front of them.

"We're not gonna figure this out." Gunn sighed.

"We have to keep trying." Angel shook his head.

"Normally I'd agree," Wesley announced, leaning back in his seat. "But this is a waste of time."

"It's all we have." Fred frowned.

"Then we must be missing something." Wesley held up a paper. "This is gibberish. Bits and pieces of glyphs, archaic languages, symbols---all jumbled together."

"Do you recognized any of them?" Angel wanted to know."

"Uh, heat, fallen, shrine, flesh...none of it makes any sense." The ex-watcher replied.

"We gotta keep at it until it does." Lois decided.

"You know," Gunn stood. "Maybe we should just take a step back."

"We don't have _time_." Cordelia frowned at him. "Chloe said that whatever's happening is going down right _now_."

"We could sift through this muddle from now 'til doomsday, whether that's tomorrow or a thousand years from now." Wesley decided as he flipped through the pages.

Gunn, from where he'd been standing behind Wesley, frown. "Wait, go back. The last sheet, flip it back."

Angel stood and walked to look. "What is it?"

"I don't see anything." Wesley commented.

"Cause you're looking too close." Gunn replied, lining up two of the papers, showing a triangular symbol that was completed when they were lined up properly. Plus, the pattern of the symbols and the glyphs weren't nonsensical after all. They were areas that were more densely written than others. Gunn grabbed a stack of the papers from Wesley, pushed the coffee table out of the way, and started arranging the papers on the floor, matching up the denser areas which started to form _lines_. "Ok. So _what the hell_ is it?"

When arranged properly, the papers formed a symbol that looked like a square with diagonal lines connected opposite corners forming an 'X' pattern within the square.

Everyone stood and stared at it.

"The Eye of Fire." Angel whispered.

"Ancient alchemical symbol of fire." Wesley nodded.

"And destruction." Angel added.

"You all had me at fire." Lois announced.

"Um, guys?" Lorne held up the map. "I hate to be the little demon that cried apocalypse nowish, but uh..." He gestured to the map with a marker, where he'd plotted the locations of the disturbances with a red dot for each call, and the dots formed a _square_.

* * *

Back home, Chloe sat on the bed next to Connor, tending to his wounds.

They looked up as the world shook.

It was a minor earthquake, and it lasted only a couple of minutes, but they knew that it was a sign of what was happening.

Of the _beast_.

"I gotta go." Connor tried to stand. "I've gotta stop it."

"Yeah, getting yourself killed should _really_ slow that thing down." The blonde forced him back down and flinched as she examined his badly bruised side. "Oh God. I think you broke a couple of ribs."

"I've never been broken, not even in Quor-Toth." Connor admitted in a soft voice. "I didn't think I could be."

"You're hurt because of _me_." Chloe whispered in self-hatred. "Because I couldn't stay back for _once_. I _had_ to go out, I---I almost got you _killed _because I had to _know_!"

Connor shifted to face her, hand going to her battered neck, eyes dark with fury as he examined her. "All you know is that that thing can hurt you...and if it tries again, I will find a way to kill it."

* * *

They'd found the focal point of the disturbances, and had been interrupted in their gathering of weapons by a small tremor. It wasn't much, but it was a definite warning.

Wesley had wanted to leave Lois behind, likewise Gunn with Fred and Angel with Cordelia, but neither woman would have it, arming themselves and joining the men as they left.

They reached the club Sky Temple too late.

By the time they'd reached it the beast was there waiting for them, hulking and intimidating, _chuckling_ at the sight of them.

It was standing in the inside of a square made from human bodies that had been laid out in formation, and at the center of the square the beast had held a man in the air, dangling him by his foot. The way that the body had hung had formed an _X_ shape.

They'd tried charging as one, tried fighting, but no matter _what_ they used against the Beast, be it sword or spear or crossbow they couldn't penetrate it's skin.

It _laughed_ as it fought them and through them around as if they were only _dolls_.

Angel had lunged for the Beast when all other methods proved in vain, engaging him in hand-tohand combat. They fought and Angel thought for a moment that he might be getting the upper hand when the demon had grabbed him by his injured shoulder and sneered into his face.

"Do you really think she's safe with him?" The creature had tainted before throwing Angel out into the city, well beyond the edge of the building they were on.

"NO!" Cordelia screamed from where she was lying on the ground in pain.

The beast knelt on one knee and punched the floor at the center of his human square, sending a trail of fire out along the floor in the shape of the Eye of Fire symbol. A shock wave emanated from the area, knocking everyone back a few feet, and suddenly the fire is tall now, taller than the beast.

Wesley sat up in time to see the beast leap straight up into the sky, riding the fire he had created. He knew that Angel would have survived that fall, but he was still worried about the vampire.

"C'mon." Lois reached his side. "We need to get out of here."

He nodded, and accepted her help to stand.

* * *

Chloe and Connor stood next to each other, looking out of the window at a shaft of fire that shot straight up into a red circular cloud in the sky right over downtown. The column of fire was sucked up into the clouds, where it disappeared and the clouds closed. Still glowing, the clouds now slowly, terriyfingly, began to rain tiny _fireballs_ all over the city.

In their little home, Chloe and Connor stared out in disbelief.

"What's happening?" Connor asked, placing his hand to the glass of the window, unable to believe what he was seeing.

"I don't know." Chloe whispered, edging towards him, wrapping her arms around one of his, shivering slightly.

"It's _him_, isn't it?" Connor turned towards her, pulling her into him and wrapping his arms around her shivering body, his broken bones already beginning to heal with his vampiric genes. "It's that _thing_."

"We don't know that." She whispered into his shirt, closing her eyes and breathing in his scent.

"I should've tried harder." He pulled her tighter to him, burying his face in her hair, voice filled with self-revulsion. "I should've _stopped_ it."

"It was too strong, Con." She rubbed her cheek soothingly against his shirt, tightening her hold around his waist. "This isn't your fault."

"What if it is?" And his voice was so _distraught_. "What if that thing is---it chose the place where I was _born_. Is that why its here---because of _me_?"

Chloe pushed away as much as his arms around her would let her, looking up at him, eyes narrowed, _needing_ him to understand this. "_No_."

He shook his head, eyes haunted. "I was never supposed to happen. The child of _two vampires_. What if---."

"Connor, it's not _you_."

"You don't _know_ that." He whispered, eyes searching hers.

"Yes I _do_." She whispered, touching his face, brushing the hair away tenderly. "Con, I wasn't supposed to happen either. I'm a human who has _bonded_ with a demon inside of me. I---that beast was in _my_ future. _I_ have had visions of it. I was _there_ the night you were born. It---it's most likely somehow _my_ fault that it's here."

"It's _not_." Connor narrowed his eyes at her. "You have _nothing_ to do with that _thing_."

She looked up into his face, at the fierce protectiveness in every feature. "Neither do _you_." With the hand she'd used to brush the hair from his face, Chloe pulled Connor's face closer and kissed him tenderly, bringing both hands to cup his face, opening the kiss, pouring into it all the words she couldn't speak.

Connor hesitated for a second before his arms tightened around Chloe, pulling her tighter against him, his ribs seeming healed enough to stand the pressure. He deepened the kiss, seeming to know on instinct what to do and how to touch her, hesitant and inexperienced and yet willing and eager as his touches got harder, more possessive, more _sure _as he backed her into the large, curtain-less window.

Chloe hissed in pleasure, whimpering into his mouth, arms encircled around his neck as with one fluid movement he picked her up, seemingly effortlessly, and blindly began moving towards the mattress on the floor that was _their_ bed. "_Connor_."

He made a near _strangled_ sound as he lowered them to the bed, Chloe with her back pressed against the soft mattress, Connor panting over her, looking down at her with near demonic eyes, darker with passion and restrained lust. "_Chloe_..." He tried speaking, his voice deeper and harsher and _throatier_ as he leaned over her, resting between her thighs. "We're going to mate."

A blush worked it way up her neck and she just nodded, not trusting her voice not to _squeak_ in this circumstance.

He pressed down against her.

She gasped and arched up against him, hands going to his chest, grabbing fistfuls of his shirt.

_ "_I've never...." he looked down at her fiercely.

"I've never _made love_." She whispered, reaching up and caressing his cheek.

Something in his expression _shifted_ at those words and he gave a little _growl_ before his lips were on hers again, demanding, powerful, _claiming._

Chloe cried into the kiss as suddenly all the insecurity, all the hesitance left Connor and he just _acted_ on his instincts and his desires. Her dress ripped, but she didn't notice, too busy pushing the elastic of Connor's sweatpants' waist down passed his hips.

Lips and hands were urgent, desperate, groans and gasps and little cries escaped their lips until Connor stopped, right...right as he was pressing against her throbbing, crying entrance.

"_Connor_." Chloe groaned a complaint as she dragged her nails down his back.

He hissed in pleasure and arched closer towards, pressing harder against her entrance and yet not entering her.

The _bastard_.

"You're _mine_, Chloe." He whispered, lowering himself downwards onto his elbows so he could look her in the eye. "_My_ half. _My_ mate. _Mine_."

And then with one thrust he was _inside_, and all Chloe could do was cry out his name and sink her nails into the flesh of his back as his mouth found hers again and there was no more talking. They moved as one, united and strong and so desperately, agonizingly _right_. Chloe had never...she'd never felt this...these electric currents that seemed to have taken her over as he moved above her, _in_ her.

Something was changing, something was different...

For the first time _everything was right_.

Was _perfect_.

Was as it was meant to _be_.

"_Chloe_..." He groaned in her mouth before ripping his lips from hers and _biting down on the base of her neck_.

Chloe gasped out his name, body going _electric_ with the pleasure the pain brought. His teeth, though blunt and human, pierced through her skin with the force of the bite, leaving a crescent shape mark on her, her blood rushing to the surface and filling his mouth.

Connor didn't let go, teeth still sunk into her neck, tongue lapping at the blood.

Pleasure coiled deep and dangerous in her stomach as she dug her nails deeper into his back, drawing blood.

He groaned into her neck, biting deeper, forcing more blood out as he continued to thrust into her mercilessly.

She didn't even have warning before she screamed out his name and was cumming, tightening around him.

He moaned a near desperate whimper into her skin as his thrusts grew more rapid, more desperate, obviously so agonizingly _close_.

And Chloe couldn't stand it anymore.

Still in the throes of pleasure she felt her gums tingling and she bit down on his shoulder, fangs piercing his skin, his blood rushing up to her tongue with a surge of power.

And then with an agonized groan he was cumming in her, thrusting deep into her, deeper than she'd ever been penetrated, his life force entering her and taking root, uniting them as one as Connor's thrusts slowed down until stopping.

And yet he didn't pull out when he went still and Chloe pulled her fangs from his skin.

Instead, Connor licked at the wound in her neck before looking deep into her eyes, his dark and pleased and sated, before he kissed her, soft and sweet and tainted with her own blood.

Chloe whimpered as her arms went around his neck, deepening the kiss, groaning in pleasure as she felt him hardening, _throbbing_ deep inside her once more.

And then he was moving again, this time slow and torturous, and she was chanting his name against his lips.

Outside the window, fire rained down.

* * *

**Ahuh! Yep. *not sure why I'm embarrassed* lol**

**Review?**


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: I do not own Smallville or Angel.**

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Lois and Wesley were spending the night in the Hyperion for safety sake, and it was only because Angel had gruffly admitted to seeing Chloe and Connor and that they were fine that Lois didn't barge in on the duo. She, along with the others, were still below, unable to sleep.

Angel too was unable to sleep, yet for an utterly different reason.

Emotions dark and vicious coiled within him as he remembered gazing in through the window from the building across from the one that Chloe and his son were staying in. He'd wanted to make sure that they were fine without them knowing he was doing so, hadn't wanted to make them feel pressured or to inconvenience them so late at night.

At yet it'd all backfired as, on the roof of the abandoned building besides Connor's, he'd had a perfect view through the large window in the attic they called their room, as Connor lowered Chloe to the bed and took her.

Sensations Angel hadn't felt since Angelus had been locked away filled him as he watched, clenching his fists.

He was sick to his stomach.

He was furious.

And fuck it all.

He was jealous as _hell_.

Chloe had always been his.

His partner in crime.

His best friend.

His confidant.

His lover.

His family.

There'd once been a time when he and she could always sense the other, their sire-link stronger than any he'd ever seen, but he'd failed to notice how it'd weakened after Connor's return.

Now, she was only a building away, but as she rolled them over so that she rode his son, the sheets pooling around their joined bodies, Chloe had absolutely not idea Angel was around.

What had _happened_?

He'd noticed the difference in the relationship between Chloe and Connor when he'd returned from his stay at the bottom of the ocean, but he'd understood. He knew that despite what he'd done to Angel, that Connor had taken care of Chloe, and Angel had felt _grateful_. Sure, he hadn't liked the thought of Chloe feeding from his son, but it was what she'd needed to do to survive, and he could get that. He could accept that.

But then things had progressively gotten worse.

Something had changed between him and his childe.

She'd started shying away from feeding from him, and while Angel could understand that he'd been weak and she hadn't wanted to weaken him, he remembered coming back from Vegas and breaking into that attic to save Chloe and Connor from the Wolfram and Hart operatives. Angel had seen the fresh wounds on Connor's neck.

Those weren't wounds of a bloodthirsty vampire.

They'd been wounds created by someone desperate not to hurt the one being fed from.

They'd almost been the wounds...of a lover.

But he'd shrugged it off.

Even when Chloe had run from him and gone to Connor when her memory was gone.

Even when she preferred to stay with Connor after her memory had returned.

And now...

..._now_ all the evidence he'd been trying to ignore had been shoved in his face and he'd had to force himself to admit to what he'd been desperately denying since his return.

Chloe and Connor had...feelings...for each other.

Angelus snarled within his cage, furious.

And Angel wasn't taking this so well either.

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Chloe stretched, yawning as her eyes opened, dawn's first lights glistening through the window and playing on her face.

A small blush darkened her cheeks as she realized that Connor was awake, watching her with a heart-wrenchingly tender smile on his face.

"Morning." She whispered, lowering her head because, _hello_, morning breath!

"Morning." He smiled, arm around her waist, calloused hand rubbing the small of her back. "The world didn't end."

"That's a good thing." She replied, at a loss of what exactly to say.

She wasn't versed in Morning Afters.

Green eyes glanced up at him and she couldn't help but smile at Connor's beaming face. "You're really _chirper_ for so early."

"What is chirper?" He asked curiously.

It was his innocence in so many things that madly attracted her.

Or, it was _one_ of the things that madly attracted her.

"Hmmm. Cheerful?" She chanced an alternative.

"Ah." He nodded, grinning smugly as he reached up and ran his fingers through her hair. "I think I have reason to be. You accepted me as your mate. We are one now."

Chloe blinked, looking up at him.

Mate?

What was he talking about?

Though the whole 'we are one' thing sounded really nice.

Not that the 'mate' didn't.

It had a sense of permanency that she liked.

Connor leaned over and kissed her, any bit of the hesitancy he'd once had gone as he claimed her mouth deeply, every movement of his lips marking his possession as he slowly lowered her to her back.

Chloe gave a moan before pushing him off. "Not-not right now."

Connor frowned, confused. "Was it not pleasurable for you last night? Did you not enjoy our coupling?"

Face burning redder, Chloe bit on her bottom lip. "Connor, last night was _amazing_, and because of that I can't let you touch me or I'm not going to want to get out of bed all day."

The doubt left his face, replaced by smugness. "I agree with this plan."

He reached for her.

She rolled out of bed and stood up, pulling the top sheet with her as she did, still slightly self-conscious despite everything last night. "Connor, last night the sky rained fired and the beast appeared. We have to tell the others." She sighed, feeling the weight of the world on her shoulders. "And I need to tell your father about us."

Connor blinked, eyeing her in what seemed like shock. "You are going to tell Angel that you are my mate?"

The whole mate thing had her a little confused, but she knew that Connor's mind worked differently than hers so she accepted it with a smile and a nod. "Yeah, something like that." She ran her fingers through her messy hair. "Angel's my sire and your father and he deserves to be the first to know."

"I do not know about him _deserving_-." Seeing Chloe's glare, Connor smartly shut up.

"It might be more embarrassing talking to Angel about this with you there-but do you want to come?" Chloe asked, pulling a blonde strand behind her ear.

Connor shook his head, standing, letting the sheets pool around his feet, unashamed of his nakedness. "I have things I need to do."

Chloe gulped, eyeing what mother nature gave him, before forcing her gaze up to meet his knowing and smug one. "You better not be thinking about tracking that demon thing while I'm not around."

Connor hesitated before shaking his head. "I want to, but it is not smart to do so. Before beginning a hunt the hunter must know his prey, and its weakness, and from last night we know none of his weaknesses."

"I don't like the obvious fact that you're planning on hunting this thing in the near future," she admitted. "But I'm glad you're not rushing into things."

Connor smiled crookedly, walking around the bed to reached her side, pulling her to him by the sheets she had cover her nakedness. "Your mate is a seasoned warrior, not a nursing pup." He leaned down and claimed her lips once more, drawing her tighter against him, proof of his manhood pressing against her stomach.

Chloe was actually kinda starting to like these mate references.

It was somewhat hot.

When Connor subtly tried to maneuver her back down onto the mattress she sprung free with a giggle. "_Behave_." Pressing a soft kiss to the tip of his nose, she left the sheets in his hands and went to the bathroom to bathe. Thankfully he hadn't learnt about shower sex yet, so he left her undisturbed as she bathed, and only gave her another lingering kiss when she'd emerged. Connor had then gone to bathe and Chloe had put on clean clothes.

There'd been more kissing before she left, which was getting kinda ridiculous by now, but Chloe was enjoying it.

She'd never been...carefree...like this.

So despite the fact that the world was probably going to end any second, when she entered the lobby of the Hyperion Chloe was smiling. "Hey!"

"Chloe!" Lois looked up from where she was having a coffee and going over research. "Was last night freaky or what?"

Chloe blinked, pausing, as she realized that Lois was in her pajamas. "I thought you were staying with Wesley?"

Lois shrugged. "After the sky went KABOOM we decided to stay here." She frowned. "You and Connor should come here too. I mean, I know you have that whole honeymooning love nest thing going on, but there's a _ton_ of rooms here. It's a renovated _hotel_ for crying out loud. You can get a room far enough so that you can be as loud as you want and no one will hear you."

Thank _god_ no one else was around.

Chloe cleared her throat. "Technically, no matter which room we stayed in Angel would hear, even if it was only lightly. Vampire hearing."

Lois blinked. "Bummer, especially if he's not getting any." She then grinned evilly. "Be as loud as you possibly can."

Rolling her eyes at Lois' behavior, Chloe shook her head. "Talking about Angel, is he here?"

"Try his room. He hasn't come out since we got here last night. I think he's brooding." Lois announced, before frowning. "You _do_ know that the big bad is out and about, right?"

Chloe felt herself chilling. "How did you guys know?"

"We met up with him." Lois winced at the memory. "We're all fine, but a little bruised and shaken up." She sighed. "He's strong. And ugly." She blinked. "And basically naked."

"I need to talk to Angel _now_." Chloe hurried past her cousin and up the stairs. "But you and I are going to have a long talk when I finish!"

The blonde reached the top of the stairs and hurried down the hall, heading towards Angel's room.

She'd never had to knock on his door before and it didn't even occur to her as she just opened the door and came in, frowning at the lights turned off. With a flick of her wrists she'd turned them on, finding Angel sitting on a seat, looking up at her.

"We need to talk." The blonde sighed, taking in a deep breath and closing the door behind her. "It's about Connor."

Angel stood. "I already know."

Chloe blinked. "You know?"

His gaze met hers, dark and accusing.

Chloe eyes widened. "You _do_ know."

He scoffed, looking away from her. "How long has it been going on?"

Hugging herself, the blonde leaned back against the door. "Last night was the first time, actually."

His gaze jerked towards her, eyes wide. "So what are you saying? It was a-a one time-spur of the moment-?"

"_Angel_." Chloe glared at him. "You know me better than anyone else. You _know_ that I'm not that type of girl." She sighed, hugging herself. "I really care for Connor and he cares for me and the world might be ending so what's wrong with it? He needs someone, I need someone, we-we _fit_."

"Did you forget that just a couple of months ago he was in _diapers_?" Angel snapped, glaring at her, taking a couple of menacing steps in her direction.

She stood her ground, chin raised high. "Of course not."

"He's my _son_ Chloe!" Angel snarled, almost in her face, banging his fists against the door on either side of her head, trapping her between the wood and his body. "My _son_!"

Chloe wouldn't look away, gulping. "And I'm your childe."

"_Exactly_!" He snapped his fangs at her in a way that was so _Angelus_ it made her eyes widen. "My son and my childe have _no business_ sleeping together! You two are like brother and sister! It's _sick_!"

"Oh, like the fact that you and I could be considered father and daughter?" Chloe snapped back. "That didn't stop _us_ now _did_ it?"

He snapped closer to her face, his shifted completely to his demon. "It's different and you know it!"

"I know you're full of _shit_!" Chloe pushed him away her, fangs descending in her anger. "The whole family thing doesn't work in vampire culture! If anything it ties them closer together!" She pushed him again, driving him further back as she stalked him. "Now stop being such a gigantic _ass_ because the fact that I'm now with Connor isn't the only thing important that I came here to tell you."

He swatted her hands away when she went to poke him. "What? Are you with _Spike_ too?"

"What is _wrong_ with you?" Chloe felt like pulling her hair out. "You're acting so ridiculous that if I didn't know better I'd think you were jealous!"

Angel snarled at her.

Closing her eyes and taking in a deep breath, Chloe tried again. "_Angel_. We can fight about everything later, okay? But you need to know that Connor and I were there when the beast dug its way into our world."

Angel went still, face shifting human, horrified. "Are you two okay?"

She nodded, feeling calmer now that this was the Angel she knew. "I got a little burnt and Connor had a couple of broken ribs, but we're both fine now. Vampire healing." She looked up at her sire. "Angel, the beast crawled up out of the ground in the exact same spot where Connor was born."

"_What_?" Angel whispered.

"Connor's worried, thinking he's connected to this thing."

"He's not." Angel answered quickly, fatherly protectiveness in his words.

"I know that. You know that. But he's not too sure." Chloe sighed, leaning back against the door. "I mean, I tried to explain to him that most probably this is all _my_ fault."

"I doubt that too." Angel snorted.

"Angel, it was _my_ future that Lorne saw this thing in, remember? And I was there when Darla gave birth. And it was my blood she was drinking throughout her pregnancy. And then I lose my memory for no good reason and when I regain it this thing is haunting _my_ mind and _my_ dreams. I've had visions of it Angel, _visions!_" Chloe ran her hand over her hair, shaking slightly. "_Cor_ is Vision-Girl, not _me_." She looked up at Angel, eyes beginning to fill with water as her voice cracked. "Angel, I'm _scared_."

He sighed and then he was there, holding her in his arms. "Everything's going to be fine. We've been through Apocalyptic events before. We got through them and we'll get through this." He sighed. "Then, when its all over and peace has returned to the world, you and I are going to have a _very_ long argument."

"Promise?" She whispered into his shirt, clutching him tightly.

Angel nodded, lips pressed to the crown of her head. "Promise."

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Fred and Gunn (or the 'annoyingly loving duo' as Lois secretly referred to them) had returned while Chloe was upstairs, the Texan researching on her laptop while her boyfriend read from a book, tapping his pencil on it nervously.

Fred sighed, looking up from her computer at her boyfriend.

He was oblivious to her.

Cordelia sat on the sofa with Lorne, who'd fallen asleep, and she too went over a book, trying to find any references to that thing they'd come against so pathetically the night before.

Lois sighed and wondered where Wesley had buggered off to.

"Can you not do that?" Fred finally asked Gunn, annoyance obvious in her voice. He stopped tapping. "Oh, sorry. It-helps me think."

She sighed. "I didn't mean to snap."

They looked at each other awkwardly.

Lois snapped her book shut, having had enough of the many prophecies of doom and gloom in one form or the other. "I'm ready to crackle-pop myself." She admitted, leaning back, still rocking her PJs. "The last 24 hours haven't exactly been normal have they?" She then blinked, remembering that the others were _way_ more used to this weirdness than she was. "_Have_ they?"

Cordelia chuckled. "No, the haven't." She looked up from her book. "But I get your need to ask."

Lois still wasn't sure about this one.

Sure, Cordelia seemed like an okay person, but Lois couldn't help but feel somewhat resentful of her for her obviously close relationship with Chloe.

Seeing Cordelia and Chloe together was like seeing Chloe and Lois together some years back.

Before Angel when and messed everything up.

They looked up as they heard footsteps, seeing Chloe and Angel descending the stairs.

Fred's face lit up when she saw them together.

Lois raised an eyebrow.

The Texan _did_ know that Chloe was with Connor, right?

"How's everyone holding up?" Angel asked, walking passed the sleeping Lorne, accidentally brushing the demon's leg as he went by.

Lorne started awake. "Huh? Oh. Mmm. Just, uh, mediating on the problem. Yeah. Asking the inner Lorne for a little backup. Heh."

Lois bit down on her bottom lip to keep from chuckling.

For a horned, green demon, Lorne was kinda adorable.

A grim-faced Wesley walked through the front door, heading towards them.

Angel's eyes narrowed as they landed on him. "You know where it is. The beast."

Wesley nodded. "Inside Wolfram and Hart. And so is-."

"Well, that answers a lot of questions." Gunn interrupted with a sneer. "They're probably having a big sit-down, breaking bread."

"It's killing everything that moves." Wesley corrected.

Gunn blinked before leaning back in the chair, hands behind his head. "I've heard worse news."

Wesley ignored him and turned to Angel. "Your son is trapped inside."

"_What_?" Chloe whispered in horror, paling. "What was Connor doing in Wolfram and Hart? Did they capture him? Did they-?"

Wesley turned to her with a sigh and a shake of his head. "According to my inside source, Connor went there to confront Lilah and try get answers about what he was, then the beast invaded the facility and started its killing spree."

Angel's eyes were wide in horror.

"_That_ was what he had to do this morning?" Chloe shook her head, furious. "The idiot! I'm going to _kill_ him!"

"We're going in after him." Angel announced, going towards the weapons cabinet and pulling out his sword.

"Won't be easy." Wesley warned. "The building's locked tight. There's no way out."

"But I bet there's a way in." Cordelia stood as well. "And if there's anyone who can find it, it'd be Angel."

Gunn nodded in agreement, heading towards the weapons cabinet.

Wesley went behind the receptionist desk and pulled out a bag, beginning to pack it.

Lois curiously went to his side, eyeing the different things he was placing in it. "So, what's Wolfram and Hart?"

He didn't look up from what he was doing. "Law firm from hell."

"Hell hell?" She asked, not sure why she wasn't more shocked.

He nodded.

Lois snorted, amused. "I alway knew lawyers had no souls. I kinda feel...vindicated...right now.

Wesley finally stopped what he was doing and looked up at her, the side of her lip quirked in reluctant amusement. "Miss Lane, your mind works in mysterious and sometimes incomprehensible ways." He zippered the bag shut. "I keep expecting you to balk at what is going on, and yet you seem to take everything in stride."

"I stayed in Smallville for a summer." She figured that was answer enough.

Wesley raised an eyebrow at her curiously.

"Somebody should stay here and mind the store." Angel suddenly announced.

"Me!" Lorne couldn't have yelled quicker. "Me me me. Sergeant Stay-At-Home, volunteering for duty, sir!"

Lois grinned.

Angel nodded, turning to Gunn. "Let's go."

"Uh, Angel?" Gunn hesitated, eyebrow raised. "Assuming we can even get inside the evil empire, same big beasties in there who spanked our assess six way to Sunday. What's gonna be different this time?"

"What's different is we're not going for the monster," the vampire replied. "We're going for Connor."

Gunn still looked hesitant. "So, you phoned ahead so that the big bad understands this?"

"Look." Angel frowned. "I don't know the answers. Don't even know most of the questions. But what I _do_ know is that I have to go into Wolfram and Hart to find my _son_."

Lois looked at Angel, for the first time feeling something that wasn't open hostility.

His voice was filled with true, human emotion.

No evil bastard would worry this much.

"Now, as far as us versus the big bad's concerned, there's only one smart way to play it." Angel continued. "You see it, you run like hell." He turned to leave.

Cordelia grabbed a knife, following Angel. "Works for me."

Lois grabbed a knife as well only to have it taken from her by Wesley, who put it back where she'd gotten it from.

"Excuse me?" She glared at him.

"Stay here with Lorne." Wesley ordered.

"Uh-uh." Lois shook her head. "I'm not the girl who sits down and lets the big boys have all the fun."

She went for the knife again but Wesley stopped her.

"Miss Lane." Wesley's eyes were narrowed. "It's too dangerous. You do not have adequate training. The best way to help us right now is to stay with Lorne."

Lois glared at him.

Chloe cleared her throat. "Lo, you're in your PJs, and we're in a rush."

Lois looked down at her pajamas and then frowned. "Okay." She turned to her cousin, eyeing her worriedly. "Be careful."

Chloe smiled at her, nodding, and with a twirl of her sais she was gone, following the others out.

"Happy hunting!" Lorne waved at their retreating backs before turning to Lois. "We'll stay here and keep the home fires burning. Bake some nice healing muffins. How are you at cooking from scratch?"

Lois looked up at him, terrified.

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Wesley led the others through the sewer, stopping finally and shining his light up a chute. "This is it. I believe there's a door about 30 meters up."

"You believe or you know?" Gunn raised an eyebrow. "'Cause every time you show up believing something seems somebody gets their head drilled or falls into a portal."

"Charles..." Fred frowned.

"I'm just saying." He glared.

Wesley glared right back at him. "Yes, well I'm doing-."

"Will you guys shut up?" Angel snapped at them. "I don't give a rats ass about what's going on between you two. Put it away. We're here for Connor."

Chloe couldn't have put it better.

Gunn sighed. "I still don't see how you plan on getting us up there."

Angel jumped up the chute.

Gunn raised an eyebrow. "Show off."

Angel dropped a line down the chute and Wes grabbed onto it, motioning for Chloe to go next.

One by one they climbed their way up the chute and found their way into the lobby of Wolfram and Hart, looking around at the death and destruction that was once such an evil, yes, but _attractive_ office building. They shone their flashlights down as they slowly walked over the bodies crowding the floor.

"Oh my god." Fred whispered. "I know they all worked for an evil company, but this is-." she noticed Gunn get startled. "What?"

"Heard something." Her boyfriend whispered, looking around them, wary.

"Power's down." Angel frowned. "We'll have to take the stairs."

"Just so that I'm clear on the plan." Cordelia announced from Chloe's side. "Wanna run it passed me again?"

"Third floor." Angel replied. "Get Connor, get out."

Cordelia nodded. "Great plan."

Angel didn't answer, leading the gang up the staircase, still walking over the dead bodies littered everywhere. "Be quick, be quiet. As far as we know, that thing's still around.

They finally made it out of the stairwell and entered a darkened hallway.

"I don't get it." Gunn whispered, shaking his head. "Wolfram and Hart is evil, the big bad is evil...why go all Terminator on your own team?"

"Maybe all it wants...is to eliminate the competition." Angel answered.

Chloe gulped, remembering the creature that'd lifted her so easily. "Doesn't give us much to look forwards to, does it?"

As they rounded the corner, they came close to a supply closet.

Wesley shone his light in it, then on the floor where he found a pool of blood near a roll of toilet paper. He frowned to himself. "Wasn't Gavin...?"

Angel gestured to a nearby room. "Over here!"

In the Conference Room at Wolfram and Heart, the team dug through the debris where Wesley's contact had reported Connor last being seen.

It was completely destroyed.

"He's not here." Chloe stood up, feeling agitated and frustrated.

"Let's be certain." Wesley placed his hand on her shoulder.

"No, she's right. He's not." Angel announced, standing. "That's good, means he's still alive."

Gunn glared at Wesley. "Or that Sherlock got his facts wrong again."

Wesley glared at Gunn.

But it was Chloe who grabbed a surprised Gunn by his shirt, yanking him to her, eyes narrowed furiously. "I have had it up to _here_ with your bitching and snipping, you hear me Charles Gunn? Connor is trapped in here, alone and unarmed, with a creature that _everyone _knows is so far invulnerable. So act like a fucking adult because if something happens to Connor because you couldn't keep your insecure, hurt feelings out of this I will-!" She stopped herself from finishing that sentence, letting go of him and storming away towards the stairwell once more.

"You guys, take that stairwell," she could hear Angel ordering before hurrying after her, reaching her and following her. "Why is it that when I tell them off they behave before starting it up two seconds later, but when you do it they act like kids whose mother has told them she's disappointed in them?"

Chloe didn't answer, only trekking up higher in the stairwell, trying to feel that _tug_ between her and Connor that had always existed. She'd pause before the exit of each floor door, before shaking her head when she felt nothing, and continue on. It was only when they reached the seventh floor that she felt the tug, and with that she threw the door open and raced out despite Angel's hiss for her to slow down, to remember that that thing could still be in there with them.

Chloe ignored him, following the pull of that tug as fast as she could.

As she turned the corner she collided with warm flesh, and with a loud tumble she had the one she'd run into collapsed to the ground ungracefully.

Disoriented and a little dizzy, Chloe sat up, hand to her head, and then she let out a little whimper when she saw who was beneath her.

"I'm going to _kill_ you!" She promised Connor shakily, hugging him tightly as Angel hurried around the corner, coming upon them and coming to a complete stop at the scene he'd walked into.

"I felt you and I-." Connor was holding her tightly, confused. "What are you doing here?

"Jesus Connor." Angel sighed, relief obvious in his voice. "Thank god you're alive."

Connor nodded in acknowledgement to his father, slowly standing and pulling Chloe up with him. "How'd you know where to find me?"

"It's a long story." Angel grabbed both Connor and Chloe's arms, starting to walk away. "We need to get out of here."

Connor stood firm. "Wait, first I have to kill that this. This is my fault."

"Don't be an idiot!" Chloe snapped at him.

"We can't kill it, and no it's not." Angel replied at the same time as Chloe's outburst. "We've thrown everything we can at it-it's not enough. We need to go."

"I can kill it." Connor narrowed his eyes.

"And if you can't?" Angel snapped. "What about Chloe? You'll be dead, and she'll be trapped in here with the beast."

Connor's eyes widened slightly as he looked at Chloe.

Sensing his son's change of heart, Angel turned to walk away only to find himself face to face with Gavin, one of Lilah's minions.

Gavin grabbed Angel, but Angel punched him and threw him across the hall into the wall. Gavin landed on the floor and stayed put.

"Gavin-how did-?" Angel blinked, completely shocked.

"He looks dead." Connor tilted his head to the side.

"He _is_ dead." Chloe responded, taking in a deep breath. "Technically _undead_." She turned to father and son. "It's a zombie."

Gavin stood back up.

"What's a zombie?" Connor frowned, obviously not having come upon any in the hell dimension he'd grown up in.

Angel grabbed Gavin and threw him across the hall again. "It's an undead thing."

"Like you?" Connor looked up at his father.

"No." Angel scoffed. "Zombies are slow-moving, dimwitted things that crave human flesh."

Connor raised an eyebrow. "Like you."

Angel pointed at Connor. "_No_! It's different. Trust me."

Gavin awoke once more, but Angel kicked him in the face.

"Come on." The vampire turned to the others, leading then down the hall.

"Why are they doing this?" Connor frowned as he followed. "Why are they zombies?"

"It's probably some fail-safe in Wolfram and Hart in case something like this ever happened." Chloe responded. "There must be hundreds or thousands of those things here."

"We need to find the others." Angel growled.

They made their way to the stairwell, fighting the zombies they encountered, using Angel's sense of smell to find the right door to get out of to find the others. There were much more zombies on this floor, probably having smelt fresh human flesh, and the three non-humans snuck passed a large crowd of zombies trying to get into one of the offices at Wolfram and Hart.

Angel, who knew the place well enough thanks to his many break ins, knew of another entrance to that office, and he led them towards it, knocking down the door and startling the rest of their team, who'd holed up in the office.

"Connor." Cordelia smiled in relief.

"We got what we came for." Angel announced. "Let's go." He turned to Wes. "Wes?"

Wesley frowned. "Only two exits I know of are the third floor and the lobby."

"That's too far." Fred's eyes were wide.

Connor shook his head. "We can make it."

"Not all of us." Chloe disagreed. "There's too many dead men walking."

Angel looked up. "All right, look, there is one other way."

"Mind telling us what it is?" Cordelia pressed.

"The white room." Angel nodded. "It's an inter-dimensional space here in Wolfram and Hart."

"Sounds kinda portaly." Gunn frowned.

"Not exactly." Angel shook his head. "More like a gateway. And there's a little girl there. Or something old and evil that likes to pretend she's a little girl."

"You've seen her?" Connor frowned.

He nodded, looking down at his son. "I met her once when I was trying to find you. She might be able to help us."

"So," Gun made a face. "Fight floors of evil lawyer zombies or sweet talk a nasty little girl?" He shouldered his weapon. "You know where my heart's at."

"Yeah," Fred frowned. "But I gotta disagree. I vote for the white room. How do we get there?"

Angel looked at her. "Gonna need your help."

She nodded. "You got it."

The gang followed Angel out through the back into the hallway, where there were still zombies everywhere.

Angel pried open the elevator doors, and Fred entered.

"Do what you can." Angel whispered to her before rushing back out to the hallways to help the others fend off the zombies while Fred worked.

Fred looked at the control panel for the elevator.

"Fred!" Cordelia yelled.

"Working on it!" Fred yelled back before whispering to herself nervously. "Come on, Fred, think. Bypass switch for a shutdown command."

"Come on, Fred!" Gunn snapped.

Fred didn't answer, disconnecting and reconnecting wires, smiling when she could hear he sound of circuitry powering up. "Angel!"

Suddenly the others began to pile into the elevator, Angel the last to enter.

"You remember the code?" Wesley asked the vampire.

"Hello, photographic memory." Angel scoffed, pressing the elevator buttons for different floors.

18-23-20-28-27.

Nothing happened.

Angel glared at the elevator. "What?"

"Maybe you forgot." Connor offered.

"I didn't _forget_." Angel mumbled defensively. "Lemme try again."

18-23-20-28-27.

Gunn looked out at the approaching crowd of zombies. "That's Gavin. I know that guy. Hold up." He stepped out of the elevator and swung his ax, cutting off Gavin's head, before returning to the elevator. "I hate seeing someone I know like that, even someone I know I hate."

Wesley turned to Angel as the zombies grew closer. "No time like the present."

Suddenly the elevator doors closed and another button magically appeared above the regular elevator buttons.

"Here's hoping she's in a good mood." Angel announced as he pressed the new button.

Suddenly, everything faded to white.

And then, in the blinking of an eye, the gang found themselves in a huge, empty white space. Looking around, trying to orient themselves, Chloe's eyes widened when they fell upon the beast kneeling over a girl who was lying on the floor on her back.

The little girl was wearing a knee-legnth red dress with white lace collar, white stockings, and black patent leather shoes.

"Oh no." Chloe whispered, fear entering her as she remembered how easily the beast had thrashed her and Connor, and remembering the accounts of how the Fang Gang hadn't faired any better against it.

Connor moved in front of Chloe protectively, eyes narrowed on the beast.

"It was waitin' for us all along." Gunn raised his axe.

"No, I don't think so." Angel shook his head. "He wanted this. The girl-whatever she is-it came for her."

"Is there a way out of here?" Wesley asked.

The little girl turned her head weakly, pointing at them. "The answer is among you."

Chloe gulped.

The beast held his right hand out over the little girl's body, and some black some rose from her body into his hand.

Only when there was no more black smoke coming from her did the beast stand, starting towards the others menacingly, but before it could reach them the little girl reached her hand towards them and mumbled something.

The others raised her weapons, preparing to fight the beast, when suddenly everything faded to white, and when color returned they found themselves in the middle of the Hyperion's lobby.

Lorne and Lois were drinking Seabreezes and arguing whether cooking from scratch or ordering out was better.

When the two looked up at saw the others their eyes went wide and they gave suspicious glances towards their drinks.

Angel looked around. "Home. She-she sent us _home_."

"Well, hail the conquering heroes." Lorne raised his glass once he realized that they were really there and weren't just a drunken hallucination.

"How the hell did you guys just do that?" Lois wanted to know.

Fred turned to Gunn and hugged him tightly. "That was awful what it did to that little girl."

Lois' face fell. "It killed a little girl?"

Wesley leaned against a column, shaking his head. "Not really a little girl. Something ancient and evil dressed like a girl."

Gunn held his girlfriend to him tightly."So what's it say about the Big Bag Wolf is he can just stride right in and suck the energy out of Evil Red Riding Hood?"

"Other than the fact that it's gonna take a force far smarter and stronger than us to defeat it?" Cordelia wanted to know, hugging herself.

In the midst of this tension, Chloe and Connor's hands found each other, and held tightly.

In his corner, Angel watched them, face dark and conflicted.

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**Review?**


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: Don't own Angel or Smallville.

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Things had been busy since they'd escaped from Wolfram & Hart's. There was tension, since Gunn didn't trust Connor, finding it suspicious that the boy had gone up against the Beast twice and survived, had been in the group when the Little Girl from Wolfram & Hart had mumbled about the answer being amongst them, and that the Beast had come up the same place Connor had been born. Fortunately Connor had been out scouting with Lois and Wesley when Gunn had commented this to Fred. Unfortunately for Gunn, Chloe _had_ been in the Hyperion and _had_ heard his hypothesis. She'd glared at him and growled and pointed out just how much more convincing and believable it was that this Beast was somehow tied to _her_, especially since it'd first been glimpsed by Lorne in _her_ future. Gunn hadn't dared or even wished to accuse her of anything, so they topic hadn't been touched again, but the tension was continuing to grow amongst the Fang Gang.

And then, thanks to Wesley and his contacts, they'd found out that the Little Girl had once been the earthly contingent at Wolfram & Hart, thus her death had left the evil law firm cut off from the senior partners, effectively neutralized. However, it appeared that that hadn't been her only function. He'd found an entry in Rhinehardt's Compendium for that same Little Girl, or rather, for the entity that'd been presenting itself as one.

Her name had been Mesektet. She'd been one of five enormously powerful beings which were linked to an embodiment of the ancient god Ra. Something like totems, symbolic manifestations. And _these_ totems in particular together formed an order called the "Ra-tet". Their origins had been shrouded in mystery since the dawn of time to the extent that only the totems themselves knew of their true purpose.

Not only was this disturbing, but Lorne had later informed them that the Beast had killed a 'lovely woman'. She'd been a white-magic shaman type, but it hadn't seemed to faze the monster, who'd torn her heart right out of her chest. At first they hadn't gotten the connection since the M.O. didn't match as the Beast had consumed Mesektet's energy and not bothered her heart...but then they'd discovered that the shaman's name had been Ma'at...who'd been another member of the Ra-tet.

Apparently the Beast was taking them out, one by one.

Wesley didn't want to jump to conclusions, preferring to wait just in case.

And then Cordelia had a vision.

According to her it'd been different from any other she'd had, it was almost as if she'd been inside someone else, but she couldn't make out if it was in the past or in the future or even where exactly she'd been. She couldn't even tell them what exactly had been said since it's been a purely visual vision, no audio, and she sucked at reading lips. But it was enough for the group to gather in the lobby of the Hyperion and go over the little they knew. They realized that the Powers were sending them a wake-up call, and that while they'd been beaten in the past, it was time they went on the offensive. They needed to find out the Beast's weakness, and then go in prepared, fighting smartly.

Of course, that was somewhat hard to do considering that they really didn't know anything about it. There were even doubts that the creature Lorne called "El Destructo" even _had_ any. But every creature had a weakness, and they were determined to find it. They hadn't had any leads until an old acquaintance (Chloe really couldn't call her _friend_) had shown up surprisingly in the middle of their meeting.

Gwen Raidon had once been their enemy, and then ally, and had both killed and then revived Gunn with just a touch of her hand (which explained the way Fred glared at her and stood partially in front of Gunn, protective). The girl had been born with a misfortunate mutation in which she was a live electric fuse, electrifying and killing anyone she touched with bare skin, which was why she always wore gloves, and body covering leather. The only person she'd ever been able to touch without killing had been Angel, and that was because he was already dead. Chloe remembered being resentful of the attraction Gwen had obviously had concerning the man she could touch-and that a touch from Gwen actually had jump-started Angel's heart for a beat or so. But now the blonde didn't feel any of those feelings, only curiosity.

Interestingly enough, Gwen had met a client the night before in the oil fields, and while they'd been talking he'd gotten his chest punched out by a 'big demon with a head made of rock'. If she hadn't had their attention before, she had it now as she described the demon. She hadn't seen if anything had been removed from her client's body since she'd ducked and covered and gotten the hell outta there, but in her own words Angel was hands down the weirdest person she knew, so she'd figured she'd ask him what was going on. It was only when Lois, who'd been going over Rhinehardt's Compendium and asked if Gwen's client hadn't been a skinless sabertooth tiger or composed entirely of light-and Gwen's saying that when he'd been killed her client had had intense light coming out of his chest-that they couldn't play dumb anymore.

The Beast was killing the Ra-tet, each totem representing a stage in Ra's journey across the sky.

Only two totems were alive (that they knew of at least) and they were Manjet and Semkhet. According to Wesley, the last sighting of Manjet was rumored two years ago in Belize, and Semkhet was said to live in a cave in Death Valley. They'd decided to go find Semkhet and protect him, Angel taking Gwen with him. Connor and Wesley had decided to go out patrolling again, keeping their eyes and ears open for the Beast, and Chloe had taken charge of the research continuing on in the Hyperion while Gunn and Fred left on a food run and Lorne left to go and see some sources.

"We're getting _nowhere_." Lois complained, putting down her book and massaging her head.

Cordelia popped two Advil into her mouth and chased them down with a mouthful of water, obviously feeling a headache as well. She slid the pill bottle across the table towards Lois.

Lois nodded her thanks and grabbed it, going in search of a bottle of water.

"I don't trust that girl." Cordelia finally announced now that they were alone.

"Who? Lois?" Chloe blinked, confused.

"What?" Cordelia made a face at her. "No! _Gwen_!" She closed her book. "Don't you think its a little _convenient_ that she appears all of a sudden and has the precise information we need? I didn't like her last time, and I don't like her now."

"Who don't you like?" Connor asked as he and Wesley strode through the front doors.

"Really, Ms. Lane is _different_ but I'd vouch for her." Wesley declared.

Cordelia threw her hands in the air. "_Why_ do people assume I'm talking about Lois when there is such a suspicious character in the midst of us?"

Connor tensed, obviously not blind to the tension and suspicion thrown his way by certain people in the group.

"Not _you_ Connor honey." Cordelia was quick to assure him, flinching. "I'm talking about _Electra_. She seems fishy to me."

"Fishy?" Connor frowned, reaching Chloe's side and pressing a kiss to her temple, eyeing Cordelia in confusion. "You think she is amphibious? I thought she was an electricity conduit?"

"No, I mean that I smell a rat." Cordelia tried once more.

"Oh." Connor nodded, grinning. "You don't like how she smells."

Cordelia groaned and lowered her forehead to the surface of the table.

Wesley coughed into his fist to disguise his chuckles.

Chloe giggled, turning to Connor and press a kiss to his cheek. "You're just so adorable."

He blinked and looked at her, obviously not seeing _why_ she thought so, but not complaining since it'd gotten him kissed.

"Ah, the boys are back." Lois strode back into the room, passing Cordelia back her pills and heading towards Wesley, palm out. "Deliver the goods."

He rolled his eyes and reached into his pocket, pulling out a chocolate bar and passing it to her.

"Thanks." She unwrapped the chocolate bar and bit into it, turning to Chloe with a sigh. "You know how I get my chocolate cravings when my period's coming down."

Wesley went red.

Cordelia chuckled.

Connor looked around, curious. "Period?"

"Yeah." Lois nodded, swallowing and continuing before anyone could shut her up. "You know, when females bleed once a month?"

"Ah..." Connor's eyes widening, a blush coloring his every feature. "You mean when females go into heat." He gazed down before his eyes suddenly widened and he turned towards Chloe. "Human females go into heat _every month_?"

Cordelia chuckled evilly, forehead still pressed against the surface of the table.

Chloe blushed horribly. "Not...exactly."

"Connor, buddy." Lois shook her head. "Heat insinuates you're gonna get some. But believe me, when a human female has her period, sex is the _last_ thing on her mind. If anything, you need to be afraid of her because she'll cut you for the slightest offense." Grinning at Connor's uncomfortable expression, Lois rested her arm on his shoulder and leaned in close. "Lucky for _you_, I doubt vampires have periods."

Chloe was about to _die_.

She sat down and covered her face. "Someone, kill me _now_."

Connor, obviously not getting that she wasn't serious, snarled at everyone, letting them know just what would happen if they laid a finger on her.

Lois grinned, reaching out and pinching Connor's cheek. "You're just so _adorable_!"

"Why does everyone keep telling me this?" He wondered, frowning, rubbing his smarting cheek.

"'Cause you are, honey." Cordelia finally looked up from the table, smirking. "You totally are."

Suddenly Angel, Gwen, and a short, stout guy strode through the front doors.

"Any movement from the Beast while we were gone?" The vampire wanted to know.

Connor shook his head. "Nothing."

Neither father nor son looked at each other.

Chloe sighed.

She'd known that things would be awkward between them, but this was getting ridiculous. Angel needed to get over the fact that she and Connor were together. Chloe knew this must be uncomfortable for him considering that Connor was his son (and had been a baby only a couple of months ago human time) and she was his childe, but things were different now, she was with Connor, and nothing was going to change that.

Cordelia eyed the man between the newcomers dubiously. "That doesn't look like Semkhet."

"Semkhet's not available, babe." The man replied. "Slight case of being ripped open to death in a cave. Don't suppose I could interest you in a short, stocky orb-keeper?"

"Guys," Angel cleared his throat. "I'd like you to meet Manny, the last totem of the Ra-tet."

"This...is a being of supreme power?" Wesley blinked, obviously unable to believe it.

"You ought to see me in my Armani." Manny grinned.

Chloe smirked. She kinda liked this guy.

Manny caught her grin and pointed to her before turning to Angel. "Now that one I like. Only one out of you lot with a sense of humor."

Lorne ignored him, shaking his head. "What happened to the second-to-last one?"

"Somebody already ripped out the toy surprise." Gwen replied, hip jutted out and arms folded over her chest.

"Good news is, we've discovered the Beast's plan." Angel rubbed his hands together.

"Which is?" Lois prompted, making a face.

"To blot out the sun for all of eternity." Manny waited a beat before looking around. "You guys got a john?"

"Right back there." Angel pointed.

"Thanks pal." Manny headed off down the hall, stopping to pick up several newspapers off the counter first.

Cordelia watched him go, making a face. "Why did the smelly, yucky man say that? He's joking, right?"

"No." Angel sighed, shaking his head. "Apparently there's a ritual using members of the Ra-tet to change day into night...forever."

"As far as evil plans go, it doesn't suck." Wesley mumbled, eyebrows drawn closer together.

"He's killed four of the five so far." Angel continued, looking at his group...except for Connor...who was also avoiding looking in his direction as well. "I figure we keep Manny safe, the lights stay on long enough, and we find a way to defeat this thing."

"But where are we going to hide him?" Chloe wanted to know. "We need a small controlled space."

Gwen smirked. "I might know of a place."

And that was how they ended up in Gwen Raidon's mansion. Due to the fact that neither Angel nor Connor wanted to be in closed quarters with each other, Connor had decided to continue his patrols with Wesley, trying to track the Beast and keep tabs on him for the Fang Gang. Lois stayed behind at the Hyperion with Fred and Lorne, having declared herself the Boss of Headquarters, and the demon and texan didn't seem brave enough to question her dominance as she cracked the proverbial whip and got them back into research mode. Gunn, Chloe, Angel and Cordelia had then ventured to Gwen's mansion. They'd gone in two groups so that two people could be always present guarding Manny, and Cordelia had come along just in case she got a vision that could help them on their case. And they needed all the help they could get.

"My butler's already in Tahiti so we're on our own here." Gwen announced, ever the hostess. "I'll hit the kitchen for supplies later if I can...well...find the kitchen." She shut lead them down a long hallway before entering a spacious library with wall lined with bookshelves. She crossed over to one of them and pulled a book it. It triggered a hidden panel which slid back revealing a steel vault door. "Can never pass up a good cliche." Gwen used her power to activate the lock and the door slid back into the wall, revealing a small, closet-like room. "It's equipped as a panic room, too. Twelve inches of solid steel, it's own ventilation system..."

"Homey." Cordelia mumbled.

Gwen's eyes were on Manny. "You should be safe here."

"Don't worry." He replied. "I ain't expecting miracles."

Gwen turned to Angel. "So, guard duty, what do you think? You and me, first shift?"

Chloe was surveying the library, picking a book and browsing it, awed by the selection. This was why she missed the quick glance Angel sent in her direction.

The vampire cleared his throat. "I think it makes more sense if you pair with Gunn. I'll do it with Chloe."

Gwen raised an eyebrow, looking from Angel to Chloe and back, sneering. "I'm sure you will." She turned to Gunn. "Okay then, I'll take Denzel."

"Actually, it's Gunn." The handsome African American raised an eyebrow. "Not that I mind the freakishly accurate comparison, but you will keep you hands to yourself."

"You tell her, Gunn." Cordelia patted his back, proud.

Gwen rolled her eyes.

"Four hours on, four hours off. Bunk down off duty." Angel changed the topic, bringing them back to the issue at hand. "Get as much sleep as we can. We're already tired. Got a long few days ahead of us." He turned and headed for the door."

Manny, already in his new little haven, turned to Gwen. "Hey Gwen. Don't suppose this joint's got Skin-emax?"

She just smiled and shut the door, sealing him in.

Cordelia and Chloe shared a smile before leaving behind Angel.

When they found him in what had to be the living room...although it was as big as a moderate sized home...Chloe left Angel and Cordelia talking and pulled out her cellular, calling Connor on his. He was still trying to get used to the technology, and was a comical failure when it came to texting lingo and such, but he'd mastered calling, and answering calls.

He answered on the fifth ring. "Everything alright?"

"Yeah, we have Manny safe and sound, but I'm not telling you where since the phone lines might not be secure." She replied, leaning against the wall and looking up at what she was beginning to suspect might be the original Mona Lisa. "How's everything with you guys?"

"There's still no movement form the Beast, he's either laying low or busy somewhere else. I don't like either option." Connor announced, frustration obvious in his voice. "It unnerves me that we have yet to find a weakness for this thing. Everything has to have a weakness, that is nature, and yet we find nothing."

"Don't stress yourself, okay? We'll find something, things always work out." Chloe comforted him, pulling a strand of hair behind her ear. "And even if you _do_ find something about that thing, you're not allowed to go all willy nilly on it by yourself, you hear me? You're not in that hell dimension anymore. You're not alone. You don't fight alone."

There was a pause.

"_Connor_." She glared.

"I do not want you there if the Beast will be there." Connor finally spoke. "He has hurt you before, and I do not want to give him the opportunity to do so once more."

"He's hurt you worse then he hurt me, and yet I don't see _you_ being all cautious." Chloe glared, feeling as if her competence was being questioned. "He was seen in _my_ future, so it's obvious that I'm going to be there when we fight him, whether you like it or not."

Connor hissed some words in a language she didn't recognize, but she didn't need to know it to know he was probably cursing. "Why can't you just _listen_ to me for once? You're my mate! I should have some say in this!"

Despite being annoyed with him, every time Connor said the 'M' word it amused her, and she smiled, leaning her head against the wall. "I'll make it up to you."

"There's no way you can make this up to me." He growled.

She bit her bottom lip, smirking, voice a near purr as she lowered it. "Oh I can think of some ways to do so."

He seemed to catch on...because there was a moment's silence, and then a corresponding purr rolled in his throat. "Tonight you can...demonstrate...these ways to me."

She laughed throatily, before groaning in disappointment. "Not tonight. We'll be sleeping over here, on shifts."

"Wait." Connor's voice went dark suddenly. "You're going to spend the night wherever you are?"

"Yeah." Chloe nodded. "I thought you'd realized that when we made these arrangements?"

"No, I did not." And he was obviously very displeased. "I do not agree with the thought of you spending the night with Angel."

"Why not? We're going to be _guarding_ Manny." Chloe frowned.

"I do not like this." Connor grumbled. "He has yet to accept our mating. I do not like you being alone with him until he has accepted this."

"You have to understand Angel, Con, it's gotta be weird for him." Chloe defended her sire. "He's going to need time and I'm not going to stay away from him just because it's awkward."

"_Chloe_..." Connor growled.

"No, Connor. I'm staying here the night and you're not going to track me down, you hear me?" She glared at the plant on the table in front of her. "If you show up here, or if I feel through our bond that you're close, I swear to god Connor you're _never_ having sex again in your _life_."

It was surprisingly easy how holding sex against him worked, and they soon ended the conversation, Chloe going to lay down and sleep for a while, needing to be alert and ready for when her shift came. All too soon Angel woke her up and after a quick trip to the bathroom and kitchen to grab a coffee for her and warmed blood for him, they made their way to relieve Gunn and Gwen from their posts.

"How's Manny?" Angel wanted to know as they arrived.

"Fine." Gunn stood and stretched. "Gave him some magazines about a half hour ago to keep him occupied."

"Swimsuit edition." Gwen grinned. "He's occupied." She turned to Gunn. "Come on. I'll show you where you can crash."

They left, the doors closing behind them, leaving Chloe and Angel truly alone for the first time since everything had gone down. Angel sat down across from her, taking a sip of his tall glass of blood. The blonde sat down across from him, placed her coffee on the table, and yawned as she stretched.

"I'm surprised you fell asleep so deeply. You're usually unable to fall asleep on strange beds." Angel took a sip of his blood "The again, you've gotten used to strange beds, haven't you?"

Chloe sighed, turning to look at him. "_Angel_."

"What?" He asked, mock innocence on his face. "I'm just stating facts."

"Snottily." She replied, shaking her head at him. "And I'll have you know that the loft mightn't be much, but it feels like home."

"The Hyperion is your home." Angel nearly snapped, steel in his voice. "It would be good for you to remember that."

"I'll always love you and the Hyperion, Angel." Chloe sighed, wondering just how she was going to get her sire to understand. "But things change."

"Funny how things changed when I was stuck in the bottom of the ocean, starving, _agonizing_, because my very own _son_ put me there and then tried to take my place." Angel growled, face rippling slightly in displeasure. "While I was slowly going _insane_ he had insinuated himself into my life, living under my roof, working in my agency, taking over my place in my friends lives...and asserting dominance over _my_ childe."

Chloe took a large gulp of her coffee, trying to buy herself sometime to control her annoyance and guilt. "Angel...Connor did something wrong...we all know that-."

"And yet it obviously didn't matter that much to you." Angel accused, eyes narrowed. "You just jumped into bed with him!"

"I did not just jump into bed with him!" Chloe snapped, fangs descending in her temper. "Angel! When you were missing I _felt_ what you were going through, okay? Especially at first! I had so many nightmares of fishes and hunger that I thought I was insane!"

"So what happened to that bond? Huh?"

She froze, confused. "Excuse me?"

"When I was trapped in the bottom of the ocean our bond was so strong you could pick up on it, even though you didn't know what it was." Angel leaned over the table, glaring at her. "And yet _that night_ I was only a building away and you had no idea I was even in the same city!"

The fight left Chloe in seconds as she recoiled, realizing that he had a point there.

Her bond with Angel had always been extremely close, and yet now that she thought about it, even with him sitting across from her, she could barely feel the link.

The bond she had with Connor was still there though, and if she wanted to, she could tug on it, it was _that_ strong.

"He did his best to break _our_ bond, and instead force his own with you." Angel continued after a _long_ drink, finishing the blood completely.

"He isn't the reason things have changed between us." Chloe whispered, feeling dizzy.

"How long has it been since you've fed from me?" Angel asked softly.

Chloe looked up at him, eyes wide, unable to remember the last time.

"It was before Connor off-shore dumped me." Angel replied. "Ever since I returned you haven't drunk from me. I could understand at first-I was starved and feeding from you-I was weak, but even after I got better you refused to feed, always making excuses."

Chloe's gaze lowered to the table, and she took a sip from her coffee, unable to answer that because she knew it was true.

"And yet you still fed from Connor the second he appeared at the Hyperion when we were gone, and don't try to deny it because I saw the fresh marks on his neck." Angel's voice had softened. "He wanted to make me pay for what he thinks I've done to him, and to do so he wanted to send me to hell while taking everything precious to me." His gaze rose to Chloe's. "He's succeeding."

Eyes wide, and convictions shaken, Chloe forced herself to look away and finish her coffee.

They didn't say anything to each other after that, just silent, confused, hurt, tense.

That was why it was such a shock and confusion for Chloe when she jolted awake, world twirling and distorted, Gunn shaking her, voice weird and worried.

"Please...I'm awake!" Angel slurred sleepily.

"What the hell are you doing falling asleep on watch?" Gwen cursed, annoyed.

Angel sat up. "I wasn't-."

"What's happening?" Chloe asked, smacking her lips, head hurting her.

She then realized she was on the ground.

Gunn knelt besides Chloe. "Are you okay?"

"Manny!" Angel suddenly leapt up and ran over to the vault door. It slid open to reveal Manny's butchered body. Great swaths of blood and gore covered the walls. "It got him."

"Ugh. What's with all the _noise_ people?" A sleepy Cordelia appeared in the doorway, rubbing her eyes and yawning, hair a mess. "I was finally able to fall asleep and then-." Her eyes widened in horror as she finally noticed the safe room. "What _happened_? Did he _explode_?"

Gunn shook his head. "The Beast got him."

Cordelia went pale. "That thing was here? How did it get passed you two?" She then blinked at Chloe. "What are you doing on the ground?"

"I have no idea." Chloe admitted, smacking her lips once more, wincing. "I have a _really_ bad taste in my mouth."

"The Beast was looking for something Manny had." Angel announced.

"How do you know?" Gunn asked, helping Chloe to her feet.

Angel held up Manny's hat. The center had been punched out of it. "Emptied out his head to find it."

Cordelia closed her eyes tightly. "_Ewwwww_."

Chloe frowned. "Wait. Manny said he was an orb-keeper, right? Maybe he kept an orb in his head."

Angel turned to Gwen. "Semkhet-the demon in the cave-you said someone already pulled out the toy surprise."

Gwen's expression went coy. "Did I?"

Angel's eyes narrowed. "The Beast is pulling something out of these totems."

Gunn glared at Gwen. "And you _knew_ that."

"Ha! I knew it!" Cordelia crowed victoriously, pointing her finger at the girl in question. "Not trustworthy!"

"Something you're not telling me, Gwen?" Angel growled.

The woman sighed, folding her arms over her chest. "All right. My client-the Beast grabbed something out of him, too. A little metal boxy thing."

"And the reason you didn't think this was need to know information was _because...?_" Chloe prompted.

"I don't know, I thought the box might be worth something." Gwen pouted. "Look, the apocalypse was coming, there was a giant killer demon. I panicked. And oh, by the way, I'm still a thief and as a rule we don't share information."

"Okay, getting back to topic." Gunn cleared his throat. "What about the cave demon? You think the big ugly went treasure hunting inside of him?"

"It's definitely possible." Angel decided.

"That may be so..." Chloe frowned, hugging herself. "But what's impossible is thinking that somehow, some way, the Beast found where we were hiding, spiked the drinks we made ourselves, snuck through this unreasonable large mansion on the tippy-toes of his cloven feet right up to the vault and kill Manny unseen and unheard."

"Maybe whoever did it didn't have cloven feet." Gunn announced. "Remember what Evil Red Riding Hood said. 'The answer is among you'. I can't be the only one thinking it."

"Connor didn't do this." Chloe glared at him. "He doesn't even know where we are."

"Didn't you call him?" Angel asked.

She glared at _him_. "I didn't tell him where we were. And even if I _had_ it wouldn't make a difference because he wouldn't _do_ this."

"Even if you didn't tell him where you were, last time I checked, that boy could track anybody." Gunn announced.

"And there's that ability you two have to sense and track each other like when we were in Wolfram & Hart." Angel's eyes narrowed.

"I can't believe you'd even consider that this was his doing!" Chloe snapped at both males. "What good would Connor get out of this?"

"He didn't want you staying over the night, alone, with me." Angel pointed out.

"Just because you have enhanced hearing doesn't give you license to listen in on my conversations." Chloe growled, poking him in the chest. "And anyway! If he'd been here you would have been able to smell him."

Angel paused, thinking that over. "She has a point."

"Same way you smelled whatever it was spiking your blood?" Gunn challenged.

"Connor would never drug Chloe." Cordelia declared. "You all? Definitely. But Chloe? Never."

"I agree." Chloe wasn't ashamed to say.

Suddenly Gwen perked up. "The security cameras!" She walked out and into the next room. "We need to see what's on that footage!"

Cordelia followed after.

Angel turned to Gunn. "Call the hotel, tell them about Manny, and about the toy surprises too. Let's see if we can find out what they're fore and how we can stop the Beast from using them. Also ask if Connor has been with them this whole time. If he hasn't left their side for a second we can finally discredit him, you got that?"

Gunn nodded.

Angel turned and left.

Chloe stayed behind, and when they were alone turned to Gunn. "You've been my friend since we met, but I'm getting _sick and tired_ of you trying to lay the blame on Connor."

Gunn eyed her seriously. "Chloe, if you weren't in love with the guy, you'd see that all the signs are pointing to him."

"They point to _me_ too." Chloe hissed. "How many times do I have to tell you that all the things that connect the Beast to Connor connect it to me as well? And yet I don't see _you_ or anyone else suspecting me in the least bit! It's not fair!"

"You didn't stab us in the back and sink Angel to the bottom of the sea." Gunn replied.

"That doesn't matter. I could be controlled by the Beast doing all these things and then drugging myself afterwards as to throw off everyone from my scent." Chloe growled. "Point is, if you distrust Connor, then you better distrust me too!"

And with that she stormed out of the room, heading towards the security room by following Gwen's scent, in time to find out that conveniently around the time of the occurrence the video feed had gone off, all the tapes going blank. Someone had known when Chloe and Angel were going to have their shifts, and someone had spiked their drinks. This was looking more and more like an inside job.

Gunn appeared, frown on his face. "Connor left them to supposedly go to his place. He doesn't have an alibi."

Angel sighed.

"You know what? That's it. I'm out." Chloe glared at them both. "As long as Connor is still a suspect we're staying the _hell_ away from you people."

"_Chloe_." Angel reached out and grabbed her arm.

"Save it." She jerked out of his grip, and stormed away.

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In the Hyperion, Angel, Gwen, Cordelia and Gunn had arrived back sans Chloe and had explained everything to the others. Lois was furious, thinking them all idiots for believing that Connor had anything to do with it, joining Cordelia in glaring at the men and electricity conduit. Fred and Lorne were on the fence concerning the issue, not commenting.

"I'm just saying, Manny never would have been killed on my watch." Gwen declared, going back to the most important subject.

"Gosh, no!" Cordelia exclaimed harshly. "Because you're supertramp."

Angel went over to the counter where Lorne was researching. "What's the latest?"

Lorne looked up. "I checked out the ritual like you asked. Looks like there's some assembly required." He opened a book and pointed to a diagram of a winged figure. "Turns out these three pieces were inside the totems. Beast kills the totems, yanks out the pieces and builds himself a big old light switch..."

"Well, what about the other two?" Angel interrupted. "What did he take out of them?"

The green demon made up his face. "Well, I know he sucked the energy out of the little girl and he ripped the heart out of the shaman but what's not clear is how he's going to use them."

"These wings...they're metal, right?" She was glancing over Angel's shoulder at the diagram. "Get me close enough and I can melt them. That'll slow him down."

"_If_ we find him in time." Lois mumbled moodily, arms folded over her chest. "Need I remind you people that he's already got all the pieces _plus_ we don't even know _where_ he's going to perform this ritual?"

"Sun or no sun, I'm not worried about slowing him down." Gun announced. "I'm worried about taking him out."

Wesley and Fred shared a look before Wesley cleared his throat. "We may have a solution for that."

Fred nodded. "We've done a lot of research as we think we found a way to get rid of the Beast. A portal."

Gunn sighed and shook his head.

Wesley continued. "We've tried conventional methods: firearms, the usual weaponry. None of which seem to work."

Angel's eyes widened as he got what they were saying. "But if we stand against it long enough to find a way to corner it, maneuver it into position..."

"Then maybe we can send this thing back to the hell-sweet-hell it came from." Lorne grinned brightly, obviously elated with this plan.

"Okay, so we've got everything we need to stop the ritual." Angel announced, rubbing his hands together. "Let's clear out of here and try locate the Beast."

As he started packing up the books, Cordelia's eyes went wide and she gasped, almost falling.

Lois reached out and grabbed her, holding her up. "What's happening?"

Everyone turned towards them.

"She's having another vision." Angel rushed to them, helping Lois hold Cordelia up.

The Vision-Girl gasped, finally coming out of it, hand going to her head. "Oh my god..."

"What did you see?" The vampire asked her.

"Same one as before...only there was more of it." Cordelia took in a deep breath. "A massacre. So many people on the ground...dead, dying...the screaming was so _loud_."

"Could you hear the demon?" Angel wanted to know.

"No." She shook her head. "But whoever it was talking to, they felt familiar. Like someone I know."

"Connor." Angel whispered sadly.

"We need to go and get him and Chloe, bring them into this again." Cordelia looked up at him. "Angel, if nothing else, Connor's our best chance at tracking the Beast."

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Chloe lay in bed with Connor, knowing he knew she was upset and wanted to know why, but was wisely waiting until she calmed down before questioning her. His instincts had always been very good. The blonde was pissed off at everyone, even herself, for not being able to convince them that Connor wasn't the person they were looking for. He might have-he might have done things in his past-but so had many of them. The others needed to learn to forgive and forget and get passed this or she couldn't work with them anymore.

It shocked her how much she cared about Connor.

A knock sounded at the door.

Connor sighed, getting up. "If its anyone but Lois or Cordy I'm slamming the door in their faces."

Chloe sat up and looked at the door, eyes widening in horror when it opened to reveal the Beast.

"Hello, Connor, Chloe." The Beast announced congenially, a wicked smile on its face, knowing it had them cornered.

Connor slammed the door in the creature's face, taking a couple of steps back in time for the Beast's fist to go through the door.

Chloe hurried to her feet, getting caught in the sheets.

As the Beast stormed into the room, Connor turned and pushed off of the wall, flipping around, sending a flying kick at the creature's head. The thing barely noticed the blow. Connor charged it again and the Beast caught him in mid-air, throwing him to the ground. It then seized Connor by the leg and slammed him to the floor before picking him up and hurling him through the window.

"_Connor_!" Chloe screamed, finally untangling herself and rushing to the window, watching in horror as Connor fell the five stories down to land in a bloody and battered heap on the pavement in front of Gunn's car, the Fang Gang emerging. "_Connor_!"

They rushed to Connor's side, Lois looking up when she heard Chloe's scream.

But Chloe couldn't beg for someone to tell her if he was still alive, because she was grabbed from behind and thrown into the wall, indenting it with the force of the blow.

The Beast took advantage of her disorientation and grabbed her by her hair, flinging her into the dresser, and then slamming her to the ground.

The blonde lay still, bloody and in agony, weak, unable to focus properly.

The Beast walked towards her and grabbed her by her neck, lifting her, burning her throat slightly with his hot fingers. It squeezed, not enough to kill, but enough to cut off the amount of oxygen needed to weaken her. Only when she was about to faint did he let go, letting her fall lifelessly to the floor in a heap.

Realizing that she could barely keep conscious, much less do anything to stop it, the Beast went to business. When the creature cleared the floor and began to create a runic diagram in the wood, Chloe realized in horror that _her home_ was where he was going to do his ritual. The moment the diagram was finished the Beast held up the combined totems-which were two gold wings topped with a glass orb-and blew a murky black energy cloud from his mouth into the orb smirking at her, obviously taunting her, as the orb turned dark and he set it down in the diagram before starting to chant.

"Ket sahv Ma'at. Ket sahv Mesektet." He held a human heart up and directly over the orb, squeezing the blood out so that it dripped onto the obsidian orb. "Ket sahv Ma'at. Ket sahv Mesektet."

"Stop...it..." Chloe tried to move, but she felt lifeless, as if being drained of energy, unable to move even her head.

The orb briefly glowed a fiery red, and then faded back to black as the door slammed open and the Fang Gang minus Lois and Cordelia and plus Gwen rushed in, Angel in the lead.

It was that moment that Chloe started blacking out, struggling for consciousness, but knowing that she passed out a couple of times, because every time she opened her eyes the battle was considerably different from the last.

Gun crashed to the floor in a heap as Angel attacked the Beast. Fred and Wesley stood off to the side chanting while Gwen tried to get at the idol. She spotted an opening and dashed across the room towards it. The Beast tossed Angel aside and turned back to Gunn when it spotted Gwen behind it. Picking up a wooden crate it hurled it at her, striking her full force, crate shattering. Gwen dropped to the floor, dazzed.

The idol broke into its three component pieces and the orb rolled across the floor.

"The orb!" Angel yelled. "Don't let it-!"

The glass orb came to rest right between the Beast's feet, and the creature looked down at Angel with a predator smile before going to kneel in the center of the runic diagram.

"Ahum Semkhet. Vesh ra'an Manjet."

A shimmering energy began to form a portal behind the Beast.

"_Angel_..." Wesley called.

Angel nodded.

Chloe fought to keep her eyelids open, wondering if the reason everything was getting dimmer was because she was about to pass out for good...or if the Beast's spell was working.

"Ket Mesektet!"

Chloe screamed, body arching off of the floor, unable to explain what she was feeling right now.

Angel raised his sword and attacked along with Gwen and Gun. Between the three of them they forced the Beast backwards towards the portal, and with a final leaping kick, Angel knocked it into the energy field. The Beast, along with the portal, disappeared.

Gwen smiled. "We did it! Didn't we?"

"Why is it still getting dark?" Fred whispered, voice wavering.

Angel dropped the sword and rushed to Chloe, falling on his knees and pulling her onto his lap. "Chloe?"

"I told you once..."

They all spun around to find the Beast behind them, striding into the room, causing them to back away from it in shock.

"...you don't need to be my enemy." The Beast eyed Angel. "Join with me..." He smirked. "_Angelus_."

As Angel stared at it in stunned silence, the Beast bent down and picked up the orb from the center of the ritual circle. It put the orb in its mouth and swallowed.

Finally Chloe felt the power over her disappearing, and she groaned, strong enough to sit up on her own.

The Beast turned to them. "We'll meet again...soon."

It then leapt out the window and disappeared.

"My god...the sun. It's gone." Wesley whispered in horror. "Completely obliterated."

Chloe didn't care, turning to Angel. "Connor?"

Angel looked her over before giving her a small smile. "He'll be fine." He reached for her and picked her up, standing, her cheek resting against his unbeating heart. "Let's all go home."

The group slowly made their way back, Chloe feeling her vampiric powers finally returning as they healed her.

It worried her.

Whatever that Beast had done, it'd seemed to not only nullify her self-healing abilities...but had seemed to be _drawing_ energy from her.

By the time they exited the building, she was strong enough to cry and scramble out of Angel's arms and into Connor's as the young man limped towards her, an arm, a couple of ribs, and his foot still broken. They hugged each other, both hurting, both healing, both desperate to assure each other that the other was alive and in their arms once more.

Lois smiled at her cousin before turning to the others. "Considering the sun is gone, I'm going to assume it didn't work."

Wesley looked at her and shook his head.

She sighed, lowering hers. "Well, at least you're all alive."

"Angel, we have to talk." Cordelia grabbed Angel's hand, tugging his attention away from Chloe and Connor.

"I can't believe we lost the sun." Fred whispered tearfully, hugging Gunn.

Her boyfriend hugged her tightly, pressing a kiss to her head.

"Angel, I think I figured it out." Cordelia announced.

"So have I." The vampire replied, a little curtly. "The Beast knows me."

"No, it doesn't." Cordelia shook her head. "It knows _Angelus_."

At the mention of that name, Angel looked around uncomfortably as everyone stared at him.

"Am I right?" Cordelia pressed. "While you were upstairs, it came to me. I wasn't having a vision of the demon, I was seeing a _memory_ of it."

"How's that again?" Gwen blinked.

Cordelia ignored her, eyes on the vampire. "The Powers That Be were sending me the piece of the puzzle we needed but I just couldn't see the whole picture...or hear the sound...until just now. Angel, I saw you, long ago, standing in a field of bodes with the Beast."

Connor glared at his father. "You knew this thing and you didn't tell us?"

Chloe's eyes were wide in shock.

"No!" Angel shook his head. "I couldn't come up against something like that and not remember!"

"The answer is among you." Gunn whispered Evil Red Riding Hood's words once more. "It like she said, isn't it? Only this never was about Connor. It's about..."

"..._Angelus_." Fred exclaimed, hand to her heart.

"I'm telling you, I don't know this Beast." The vampire glared at them, agitated. "I'd remember."

"Like you remember falling asleep before Manny got killed?" Cordelia's eyes narrowed.

Angel turned to her. "_What_?"

"An inside job." Gwen whispered, mouth falling open. "Wow. Never saw this one coming."

Angel snarled at her. "What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

"It _means_ you're a suspect." Wesley explained, standing next to Lois. "If Cordelia's right, we should admit the possibility that this Beast may have some sort of power over you. To make you do things. To make you _forget_."

"And it has a plan." Cordelia nodded. "The rain of fire, taking down Wolfram & Hart, even blotting out the sun...I think now those were only the first steps to something bigger."

"What can be bigger than blotting out the sun?" Lois wanted to know. "In my books that's a pretty friggin big deal!"

"Well, I don't know what to tell any of you because I don't know what the plan is!" Angel glared at them.

"No...but Angelus might." Wesley whispered.

Chloe felt herself go cold. "You can't be saying what I think you're saying."

"Chloe, how things are there's only one way we're going to defeat this Beast." Wesley apologized with his eyes.

"There _has_ to be another way!" Chloe pulled away from a confused yet wary Connor. "_Any_ other way!"

Lois looked between them, worried and confused. "Wait, I don't get what's going on here. What's our only way to beat the Beast?"

Wesley turned to her, face blank. "We need Angelus."

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